BENGALURU: Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge has said that the State Government would bring out an ocean farming policy in the coming months to unlock opportunities in marine and coastal technologies. He was speaking at a fireside chat after inaugurating Atria University’s Atria Beyonder Labs (ABL).
According to Priyank, the upcoming state budget will have Artificial Intelligence (AI) and biotechnology as key focus areas. “We are looking closely at how AI can accelerate biotech, life sciences, agriculture and healthcare innovation, and how policy can support this convergence in a meaningful way,” he said.
The minister said that Karnataka had already taken concrete steps in the direction of aquamarine technology through the launch of a centre of excellence in aquamarine innovation in Mangaluru, and that the centre is envisioned as a collaborative platform for scientists, industry leaders and policymakers to drive economic growth while ensuring the sustainability of Karnataka’s marine ecosystems.
Priyank also said that the State Government is revisiting Karnataka’s current data policy with the objective of developing a more sustainable and green data framework.
“We are examining how data infrastructure and the digital ecosystem can become more energy efficient and more sustainable, and how the entire sector can be accelerated towards responsible, climate-aligned growth,” he said.