Priyank Kharge criticises PM Modi for unfair semiconductor opportunities

BENGALURU: Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge raised concerns about the lack of a level playing field in the distribution of semiconductor development opportunities across other Indian states. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting that Gujarat, the PM's home state, receives preferential treatment. Kharge also accused him of pressuring companies through "arm-twisting" tactics, which he described as "unbecoming."

“Projects are outrightly being pushed to Gujarat. The govt used to do it openly before, but now they are doing it behind doors. There are articles on the helicopter diplomacy that is followed on how CEOs are whisked away to Gujarat overnight to put up their plants there,” Kharge said in an interaction with TOI on Saturday. Micron, for instance, lined up a $2.7 billion investment for its semiconductor chip assembly and test facility in Sanand.

Kharge made references to recent projects being moved into Gujarat to elaborate on his accusation. “What happened to the Vedanta Foxconn project initially announced for Pune? Why did the Tata-Airbus plan move to Vadodara? Maharashtra lost close to around 2 lakh jobs and Rs 3 lakh crore business to Gujarat.”

Kharge explained that companies usually come up with a list of states in terms of options they are evaluating. “There are options A, B, and C. Where is the D coming from? Gujarat is D. What resources are not there in Karnataka? We have the policy, skill, all the resources… I can show you shortfalls in other states, but states like ours, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, there is no dearth of any of these things,” Kharge added.

Kharge was speaking to TOI on the sidelines of a curtain raiser for the 27th edition of the annual Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 (BTS), which will be held between November 19 and November 21 in the city. This edition is set to host international participants from more than 50 countries. The summit benefits from the collaborative efforts of prominent industry bodies, including NASSCOM, IESA, ABLE, US-India Business Council (USIBC), and AMCHAM. The event's central theme, 'Breaking Boundaries,' evolves further with 'Unbound,' reflecting the increasing integration across global boundaries.

The conclave will have the Karnataka govt unveil the state's policy on spacetech, Kharge told TOI, among other announcements. The key highlight of the inaugural ceremony will be the signing of two MoUs — one with Switzerland and the other with Finland — along with an LoI (letter of intent) with the Sharjah Innovation Authority (UAE). The global collaborations track will showcase sessions curated by the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) partner countries on World Stage 1.

Australia, as the official Country Partner for BTS 2024, will bring a dedicated session on ‘Digitalisation through Australian Tech – Partnering for Prosperity.’ This year’s summit will introduce the Startup Springboard, a key platform to accelerate startup growth. BTS 2024 will host 2,500 startup attendees, and the startup pavilion will showcase 370 startups.

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