KDEM aims to create employment at tier-2 cities in Karnataka

E V Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary to department of Electronics, Information Technology, Diotechnology and Science and technology, said the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) - Beyond Bengaluru initiative is a harbinger to ushering dividends from IT, IT enabled services sector along with employment creation in tier-2 cities of Karnataka.

Delivering a virtual talk on IT Policy 2020-25 organised as part of the KEDM – Beyond Bengaluru initiative in Mangaluru cluster, he said that Mangaluru, which has access to port, rail, and airport is a unique selling proposition in the state of Karnataka. “Collaboration between academia and industry will be triggering growth in the cluster and making it the second largest in IT and BT in Karnataka,” he added.

KDEM Chairman B V Naidu said that three clusters of Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi will spearhead the Beyond Bengaluru initiative by attracting global companies to establish their offices and operate from these cities.

KDEM is a unique structure of the state government with a mission of taking industries beyond Bengaluru through the three clusters.

This sets momentum for Mangaluru, with the cluster being projected as a fintech hub. As per the envisioned statement for Mangaluru, three large, 30 medium, and 120 mid-sized companies will be added in the next five years, Naidu said.

Department of IT, BT Director Meena Nagaraj explained the incentives under which entrepreneurs can avail benefits from the state. She encouraged the IT companies to develop quality certification ecosystem in the similar manner as ESDM industries have come up with. Even colleges and universities can create infrastructure and avail benefits under the IT Policy, she added.

KCCI President Isaac Vas, Arkieva Asia Pacific MD Ashith Hegde and CII Chairman Jeevan Saldana were also present.

Check out latest DH videos here