From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Mar 3: Leading manufacturer of Apple phones, Foxconn, met Higher Education and IT/BT Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan in Bengaluru on Friday on setting up the location for setting up an Apple phone manufacturing unit in the State.
The delegation from Foxconn, headed by Young Liu, CEO and Chairman of Taiwan-based Company, also held the preliminary meeting with Dr Ashwath Narayanan.
Earlier, the Minister welcomed the delegation which included 17 senior officials of the company on their arrival at the Bengaluru International airport.
During the meeting, the Minister apprised the delegation of the industrial ecosystem of the state.
He also stated about the quality of IT & Technical education which is being provided in the state, the push given to skill development, the availability of trained human resources and cooperation extended by the industry.
The company which stands second globally in manufacturing Apple phones is considering setting up its unit in proximity to an airport in the state.
The delegation will be taken to show the land of 300 acres at KIADB, Doddaballapura.
“If the company sets up the unit it would generate nearly 1 lakh jobs,’’ Dr Narayan explained.
The Minister also informed the delegation about the reforms introduced in ITI, Polytechnic and Engineering courses and how the curriculum had been revamped to suit the Global industry demand.
About 1.5 lakh engineering graduates are coming out every year from 270 engineering colleges in the state.
The GTTCs and KGTTIs are playing a major role in imparting required technical skills to the students, he claimed.
Meanwhile, Liu stated that Bengaluru was the preferred destination for global companies and had been a forerunner in attracting investment.
Foxconn, which owns over 54,000 patents, has R & D centres and manufacturing units in many countries including China, India, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Czech Republic and the USA.
He stated that the company posted an income of 206 billion dollars in 2021.
Later, the BIAL officials took the delegation to show terminal- 2 of the airport which was recently inaugurated. They also explained about the cargo division which has been operating at the airport.
The delegation would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi after its departure from Bengaluru.
Dr E V Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of IT/BT, S Selva Kumar, Principal Secretary, and Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner, Department of Industries were present.
GTDC Centre opened in Devanahalli
The minister later inaugurated the GTDC equipment and training centre at Channarayapatna in Devanhalli taluk built at a cost of Rs 47.61 crore on a 5 acre plot.
Dr Narayan said he took personal interest in establishing the GTTDC centre at Devanahalli as the region along with Ramanagara was attracting several big industrial ventures.
The minister said the State Government wants to develop Devanahalli as the headquarters of Bengaluru Rural district to speed up the faster development of the region.