BENGALURU: Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad laid emphasis on Karnataka’s major role in the data economy. He was speaking at the inaugural of Karnataka’s flagship Benglauru Tech Summit 2020, a three-day virtual event, launched in Bengaluru on Thursday. The event had in attendance Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and Vice President Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin among other delegates.
While stating that a data protection law is on the anvil and will be finalised soon, Prasad impressed upon Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to ensure that the state “becomes a great centre in India’s data economy”.
“Data will drive data economy and international intercourse of commerce. India produces huge data — 1.3 billion people, 1.21 billion mobile phones, 1.26 crore Aadhaar. All these digital ecosystems are producing data,” he said.
Prasad said the government had got Apple to shift nine of their operating units from China to India. “In Bengaluru, Apple has started production of its quality phones for India and for export,” he said. Prasad appealed to the IT community in Bengaluru to play a major role in the data economy that the government is keen on promoting.
He noted that the summit was taking place in very challenging times, but said the digital ecosystem gave the opportunity. “We have made regulations clear that not only work from home, work from anywhere to promote the cause of gig economy in India in which Bengaluru again has to play a crucial role.” The summit is organised by the Karnataka government along with Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society, and Software Technology Parks of India.