Semicon policy likely before Budget

Kishore Kumar

HYDERABAD: The long-pending Semiconductor Policy may see the light of the day before the Budget, according to Prithviraj Chavan, minister of state in the PMO.

Chavan revealed that the policy has been sent to the IT ministry for reference. “Perhaps the policy would be cleared before the budget.’’

The incentives from the policy, Chavan, would be `over and above the normal SEZs.’ He announced this while delivering the valedictory address at the ISA Vision Summit here today.

“The government has decided to stand firmly behind the semiconductor industry,’’ he said. The entire gamut of the industry would come under the ambit of the policy, said Chavan. Companies would be required to submit their proposals before a cut off date.

Talking about the difference of opinions while preparing the policy Chavan said, ``Yes there had been differences. But the semiconductor industry is different from other industries. Technology is changing very rapidly. The policy needed to be planned.’’

``Soon the ball would soon be on the courts of the industry and state governments to carry the development,’’ added Chavan. Last month, the union cabinet had given its in-principal clearance to the draft semiconductor policy.

Chavan also said that the capacity of the Semiconductor Laboratory at Chandigarh would be upgraded to about 200 nm from its current capacity. Earlier known as Semiconductor Complex Limited, the Semiconductor Laboratory used to be under the Ministry of Electronics. It is now a registered autonomous society under the Ministry of Space.

Chavan said that the Mohali center of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research would be launched soon. The Pune and Kolkata centers of the institution have already started functioning. Chavan said that the government is looking at opening 4-5 more Indian Institute of Technologies.

He also said that the government is also considering FDI in education.

© CyberMedia News