MANGALURU: Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Keonics) chairman Harikrishna Bantwal said that the Keonics will request the state government to set up RK Baliga (Rama Krishna Baliga) Electronics City in Mangaluru.
Bantwal told reporters that Rama Krishna Baliga, who hailed from Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district, was the first chairman of Keonics. “Incidentally, December 29 is the birth anniversary of Baliga. Since I am occupying the same position that Baliga did, I have mooted a proposal to set up an electronics city outside Bengaluru. As the chairman of Keonics, Baliga was responsible for the setting up of the Electronics City in Bengaluru, which is now considered as a Silicon Valley of India. Setting up a hi-tech park in Baliga’s home district will be a true honour to his contributions to the growth of electronics city in Bengaluru," he said.
Elaborating on the proposal to set up Electronics City in Mangaluru, Bantwal said the proposed Electronics City should be set up jointly by the private, government and educational institutions and should be on the model of Israel catering to the needs of laser, robotics, chip, fibre optics and other technologies development. It may require at least 75 - 100acre land for the project, he said.
“This can be promoted under Atmanirbhar Bharath initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I have already met deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayana, who is also minister for IT and BT, and BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel. Very soon, I will meet chief minister B S Yediyurappa too. Setting up an Electronics City in Baliga’s will solve unemployment as it would provide opportunities for engineering and other graduates from the district,” he added.