Karnataka, Home To India’s Silicon Valley, Gets A New IT Policy After A Decade; Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities To Be Developed As Hubs

Karnataka will have a new Information Technology (IT) policy after almost a decade. The state that turned the IT scenario of the country around has restricted its impact in the state to its capital city.

However, as per reports, the government now seeks to take the IT/BT industry and opportunities beyond the Silicon city.

The government has decided to pick a city and build the infrastructure to make it a model city based on which other Tier-2, Tier-3 cities can be developed to promote the growth of IT/BT jobs there, as reported here.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwathanarayan, who is also in charge of the IT/BT Department, announced that the state will have a new IT policy that will look at creating employment opportunities in the IT/BT sector in the Tier-2, and Tier-3 cities of the state.

The companies that will invest and establish IT/BT units in the smaller cities and towns will be given special exemptions and concessions, said the minister.

A lot of companies at present still prefer to be based in Bengaluru despite the government's previous efforts to boost the growth of the sector in other cities like Mangaluru, Manipal, Shivamogga, Mysuru, and Hubli. This effort will now help decongest the capital city.

The government made this announcement as a prelude to the Bengaluru Tech Summit that the city will host from 18–20 November.

This summit will see the announcement of a new vision group led by Prashant Prakash to boost startups in the state.

Also, the state will get a one-of-its-kind innovation authority — the Karnataka Innovation Authority — under the leadership of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa that will look to address issues, ease regulations and foster innovation in the state.

The government also plans to work with educational institutions and the industry to encourage innovation in colleges and address the human resources demands of the industry.