In yet another effort to make India an electronics manufacturing hub, the government has sanctioned a new greenfield for Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) at Dharwad in Karnataka. Rs 180-crore worth of electronics manufacturing cluster is expected to create over 18,000 jobs. New EMC has a strategic locational advantage and well connected with NH-48, Hubli Domestic Airport (33 Km), which will reduce the logistics/ transportation cost of the industry in the EMC.
According to the ministry of Electronics and IT, the project, which is being set up at Kotur-Balur Industrial Area in the Dharwad District of Karnataka under EMC 2.0 scheme, is expected to catalyse investments to the tune of over Rs 1,500 crore soon. Nine companies, including start-ups, have already committed to making investments of Rs 340 crore with an employment potential of 2,500 people.
The Centre has already approved a common facility centre (CFC) for the development of an advanced testing facility in Mysore, Karnataka that will meet the various testing requirement of the industry.
“Karnataka is emerging as a global electronics manufacturing hub for the world, just as it is already a telecom hub with Apple plants in Kolar (Wistron) and Devanahalli (Foxconn). These new investments are creating jobs and development. The Narendra Modi government is committed to build India as a manufacturing hub as part of its ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policies,” said Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar while announcing the approval of cluster in Bengaluru.
The Modified Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC 2.0) scheme was introduced on 1st April 2020 with an objective to create world class infrastructure along with common testing facilities, including ready built factory sheds/plug and play infrastructure for attracting anchor unit along with their supply chain to set up their manufacturing/production facility in the country. Under the Scheme, three electronics manufacturing clusters over an area of 1,337 acres with the project cost of Rs 1,903 crore, including Central financial assistance of Rs 889 crore have been approved with a projected investment target of Rs 20,910 crore.