New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) The Indian electronics industry has been facing a growing demand and supply gap due to the slow rate of increase in domestic production, Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot has said.

"The rapid growth in the demand for electronics, clubbed with the slow rate of increase in domestic production, has resulted in an increasing demand-supply gap in the industry," the minister said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha earlier this week.

According to the latest data present with the department of telecommunications, while the demand for electronics stood at $45 billion in 2008-09, goods worth $20 billion only were produced in India.

The minister said that in order to encourage manufacturing of electronic items in the country, the government was mulling the possibility of setting up an electronics development fund.

This fund will promote innovation, research and development, Indian intellectual property and development of Indian microprocessor.