Karnataka is the first state to give Production-Linked Incentives (PLI) to Semiconductor and FMCGs, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

He was speaking after inaugurating the India Manufacturing Show organised by Laghu Udyog Bharati-Karnataka IMS Fondation at BIEC here on Thursday.

The CM said the government has understood the contributions of industries in state development. The State budget has given special preference to industrial-friendly policies, Ease of Doing Business, ABC Policy for the development of industries in the next five years. Some of them are setting up of Industrial towns on Chennai-Mumbai Corridor, development of industries in Tumkur, Chitradurga, Haveri, Dharwad and Belagavi, and setting up of industrial parks in Kalaburgi, Yadgir and Mysuri. A lot of development is taking place in the field of technology in Bengaluru. There are 400 international-level R&D centres and 400 fortune companies in Bengaluru. The ecosystem here was excellent. Karnataka has adopted a Research Policy under which any research works are encouraged. The importance of science will be more if a common citizen starts using it. The semiconductor policy, R&D policy and employment policy exist in the state. More incentive will be given to those companies which would give more employment opportunities for the local youths.

60 per cent defense equipment production in India

Bommai said any state which wants to march ahead must be in a position to take care of its supplies and a self-reliant country is a self esteem nation. When India gained independence it was not in a position to feed everyone. Now the country produces food grains to feed 130 crore population and has emerged as a self-reliant nation. The Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced ‘Make In India’ policy and formulated several programs in this regard. The Mudra scheme was launched to aid Laghu Udyog; gave special impetus to MSME and linked it to Atmanirbhar Bharat program. The meaning of Atmanirbhar means self-reliance and to achieve this there is a need to have coordination between Large and Small industries. All the requirements of large industries must be produced here and no material must be imported. Earlier, 90 percent of equipment in the Defense sector were coming from other nations and this picture has been changed by Modi in the last seven years as 60 percent of equipment are manufactured in India by Indians. There is a need for a big level R& D in the country. The production has to undergo several tests. The defense equipment production is expected to touch 90 per cent soon and then it will be exported to developed nations.

Era of change

He said India is slowly emerging as an exporter from a major importer and this change will happen from their thinking, vision and implementation. It will exhibit the strength of India. They are living in the era of change. It is the right time for those who wish to establish industries and others interested in expansion of industries. Opportunities are plenty to be the players of change in the country. The PM has confidence in the skill and techniques of people. Population is not a curse but it has a lot of advantages too. India has a 46 per cent youth population which must be used as the strength of the country through skill development.

He said raw materials and energy play an important role in a nation’s development. There is a need for judicious use of coal and fossil fuel, and of mining. Union Coal and Mining Minister Pralhad Joshi has paved the way for the use of technology for the maximum use of coal mines by announcing a new policy. The logistics of coal must be done effectively. All these points are indicators of development. Thanks to the efforts of Pralhad Joshi, the State has achieved progress in the mining and energy sector. The union minister has been giving suitable directions from time to time about coal and energy demand and use of energy. A lot of changes will happen in the field of energy in the next 5-10 years, and it will reduce the use of traditional fuel. The State has given importance for the energy production from solar power, unconventional, hydrogen and ethanol. The government has signed an agreement for Rs 13,000 crore to manufacture energy through renewable sources of energy. Since Karnataka has more sugar factories, it has been in first place in ethanol production