Priyank Kharge criticizes PM Modi for unfair opportunities in semiconductors – Times of India

BENGALURU: Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge expressed concern over the lack of a level playing field in the distribution of semiconductor development opportunities among other Indian states. He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and suggested that the Prime Minister’s home state, Gujarat, is being given preferential treatment. Kharge also accused him of putting pressure on companies through “arm-twisting” tactics, which he described as “inappropriate.”
“Projects are being pushed outright to Gujarat. The government used to do this openly, but now they do it behind the doors. There are articles about the helicopter diplomacy being followed about how CEOs are being transported overnight to Gujarat to set up their factories there,” Kharge said in an interaction with TOI on Saturday. Micron, for example, has committed to investing $2.7 billion for its semiconductor chip assembly and testing facility in Sanand.
Kharge referred to recent projects being shifted to Gujarat to further elaborate on his accusation. “What happened to the Vedanta Foxconn project initially announced for Pune? Why did the Tata-Airbus scheme move to Vadodara? Maharashtra lost nearly 2 lakh jobs and Rs 3 lakh crore activities to Gujarat.
Kharge explained that companies usually come with a list of states in terms of options they are evaluating. “There are options A, B and C. Where does the D come from? Gujarat is D. What resources are not there in Karnataka? We have the policies, the skills, all the resources… I can show you the shortcomings in other states, but states like ours, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, there is no dearth of all these things,” Kharge added.
Kharge spoke to TOI on the sidelines of a curtain raiser for the 27th edition of the annual edition Bengaluru Tech Summit 2024 (BTS), which will be held in the city between November 19 and 21. This edition will host international participants from more than 50 countries. The summit benefits from the collaborative efforts of leading industry organizations including NASSCOM, IESA, ABLE, US-India Business Council (USIBC) and AMCHAM. The event’s central theme, ‘Breaking Boundaries’, evolves further with ‘Unbound’, which reflects increasing integration across global borders.
During the conclave, the Karnataka government will unveil the state’s policy on space technology, Kharge told TOI, among others. The main highlight of the opening ceremony will be the signing of two MoUs – one with Switzerland and the other with Finland – along with a LoI (letter of intent) with the Sharjah Innovation Authority (UAE). The Global Collaboration Pathway will showcase sessions curated by the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) partner countries at World Stage 1.
Australia, as the official country partner for BTS 2024, will host a special session on ‘Digitalization through Australian Technology – Partnering for Prosperity.’ This year’s summit will introduce the Startup Springboard, a key platform for acceleration growth of startups. BTS 2024 will host 2,500 startup participants, and the startup pavilion will showcase 370 startups.