The Karnataka cabinet has taken a significant step to foster research and innovation by approving the establishment of eight Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) under the Startup Policy 2022-27. This initiative, announced on Thursday, involves an investment of Rs 80 crore, with each incubator receiving Rs 10 crore. The selected institutions for these TBIs include the University of Horticulture Sciences in Bagalkot, Yenepoya University in Mangaluru, DIMHANS in Dharwad, VTU Belagavi, JSS Mysuru, Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education in Tumakuru, Malnad College of Engineering in Hassan, and Maratha Mandal”s Engineering College in Belagavi.
In addition to the new TBIs, existing incubators located at NIE in Mysuru, PESIT in Shivamogga, and KLE University in Belagavi are set to receive Rs 9.99 crore each. The focus areas for these incubators encompass various fields, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Internet of Things (IoT), software development, manufacturing, healthcare and bio-pharma, agriculture, clean technology, energy, water recycling, education, nanotechnology, and composites. This strategic initiative aims to extend opportunities for research and startup incubation beyond the metropolitan hub of Bengaluru.
The cabinet also approved the construction of 2,200 new classrooms in government schools statewide, with the Public Works Department tasked with this project at a budget of Rs 360 crore. Among other approvals, the cabinet allocated Rs 20.47 crore for obtaining Technical and Management Consultant services for the Karnataka Strengthening Coastal Resilience and Economy (K-Shore) project, which includes the development and maintenance of four existing ports under a public-private partnership model.
Furthermore, plans were set in motion for a compressed biogas unit in Kolar, designed to process 150 tonnes of green waste daily, managed by the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) for a period of 25 years. The cabinet also granted administrative approval for infrastructure development at Mandya Agricultural University, with a budget of Rs 23.25 crore, and allocated Rs 1,825 lakh for the additional equipment necessary for the establishment of a cancer care unit in Karwar.
Additionally, the cabinet decided to amend recruitment rules, establishing the II PUC as the minimum qualification for the recruitment of personnel in the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and the India Reserve Battalion (IRB). An in-house technical development department, named “Kaveri IT Cell,” will be created within the Registration and Stamp Department to focus on software development and technical support.
