To promote Karnataka as a hub of innovation and technology, the state government is planning to announce a new information technology (IT) policy that will focus on tier-2 cities. The new policy will seek to promote investment and employment opportunities in the state, a senior government official said on June 17, according to a report in MoneyControl. Gaurav Gupta, principal secretary of Karnataka’s Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Science and Technology, said at the 15th Vision Group meeting that the government was in the process of formulating a revised IT policy for the state with the aim of strengthening the state’s position in the IT/ITeS industry through increased thrust on emerging technologies and R&D. "Our focus would be to enhance necessary support through key incentives and facilitation through institutional mechanism," he said. The government further said that it would look to promote emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and virtual reality "to boost inclusive digital growth", the Economic Times reported. The state is also planning to develop Global Innovation Alliances with innovation hubs across the world. Gupta said the government had already identified new engagements with countries like Estonia, Canada and Switzerland, and was "in the process of chalking out soft-landing exchange for start-ups in countries like Germany and the Netherlands". The Vision Group, led by Gopalakrishnan and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, includes members from IT and biotechnology industries, government, and academia. It is an advisory body that is organising the upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit 2019 with the Department…
