From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Mangaluru, Dec 17: With a view to encourage industrial development of the coastal districts, the State Government will be establishing 2 lakh Sq. Ft. Mangaluru Innovation Hub through KEONICS and also releasing a seed capital of Rs 25 crore for setting up Mangaluru Industrial Cluster, Higher Education, IT/BT and Skill Development Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan announce on Saturday.
He was addressing the Mangaluru Technovanna organised by the Mangaluru Cluster of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM).
The minister said the government is establishing the Mangaluru Innovation Hub in cooperation with Infosys and other companies, which will cater to the industrial development of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Kodagu districts. He lauded the coastal region, especially the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, for being the cradle of banking. The region has suitable conducive and enterprising environment and the government is keen to develop the Mangaluru region as Fin Tech Hub, he said.
Dr Narayan said the government is keen on establishing at least 50 Fin Tech companies in the Mangaluru Cluster. This will give a big boost to the government’s plan to achieve $ 500 billion business turnover by 2030 from these companies, he said. ``Just as Bengaluru city has become famous as India’s Silicon Valley due to the IT/BT companies, Mangaluru should become Silicon Beach,’’ he said.
Memorandum of Understanding were signed with several companies and the minister inaugurated the Mangaluru office of the Cash Free Company.
State BJP Chief and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA Vedavyasa Kamath, MLC Manjuunath Bhandari were among the dignitaries who attended the function. IT/BT Department Additional Chief Secretary EV Ramana Reddy, industrialist Mohandas Pai, KDEM President B V Naidu, Start-Up Vision Group Chairman Prashant Prakash and IT Department Director Dr Shivashankar was also present.
The minister later inaugurated the Mangaluru University affiliated college at Bannadka in Mudabidre in the presence of MLA Umanath Kotian, Mangaluru University Vice Chancellor Prof Subramanya Yadapadittaya, Dr Kishore Kumar and C N Kalyani.