congress karnataka it growth siddaramaiah: Congress laid the foundation for tech sector’s growth: Karnataka CM

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday praised the past Congress regimes for their contributions to the nation’s and the state’s information technology (IT) policies, saying it was the Congress-led government’s IT policy in Karnataka in 1992 – the first in the state – that laid the foundation of a national policy.

“Congress governments have always provided political stability, which is good for long-term investments at the state and national level,” he said.

He was speaking to entrepreneurs in Bengaluru at an event where he released brochures for the Bangalore Tech Summit (BTS). The summit, he said, would speak not just about the achievements in technology, but also the indomitable spirit of our state.

“Our government is committed to restore the lost climate for investments and create a more favourable environment for technocrats to innovate, invent and invest in Karnataka,” he said. Bengaluru, he added, has the highest IT and Biotechnology (BT) exports in the country and has the potential to lead the world as well.

This year’s BTS will take place at the Bangalore Palace from November 29 to December 1, with attendees expected from over 50 countries. The state’s IT minister Priyank Kharge announced on X (previously Twitter) that the theme of the event would be “Breaking Boundaries” for the next couple of years.

Siddaramaiah emphasised the need to bridge the gap between industry and educational institutes, saying collaboration between both would help in preparing a future-ready workforce. “Karnataka is the first state to create a separate department for skill development. Our state is also working on setting up a skill board with all the stakeholders,” he said.

The CM also commented on the traffic congestion situation in the city, saying the government was working to rapidly expand the metro network. The government’s aim, he added, is to create an innovative and sustainable IT environment. “Anekal, Doddaballapur and other centres have opportunities for expansion of investment and are beneficial because they are close to Bengaluru. Various organisations are already interested in setting up an IT park in Mangalore,” the CM said.

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