Friday, June 13, 2014: Electronic industry representatives and semiconductor associations have urged newly appointed Minister for Communications and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad to set up an independent Electronic Commission much like the Telecom Commission to address all matters pertaining to the electronic design and manufacturing sector. The first of its kind Commission will play a key role in tackling all problems the industry is facing, insisted the representatives.
“The Commission will include representatives from the industry as well. The ministry is very positive towards this proposal,” MN Vidyashankar, president of the Indian Electronic and Semiconductor Association (IESA) was quoted as saying. The proposed commission would also oversee hastening of the progress of electronic clusters being set up in different parts of the country. “DEITY has given in-principle nod for the electronic cluster in Odissa and there is a proposal to set up a cluster in Delhi. The debate is still on whether to house it in the Delhi University or the STPI,” Vidyashankar added.
According to a Frost & Sullivan report, the electronic design and manufacturing sector in India is expected to grow at 9.9 per cent (CAGR) to touch $94.2 billion by the year 2015. This is twice the growth rate of the global ESDM market. As of current stat, nearly 65 per cent of the demand for electronic products is met by imports. Sadly, even within the 35 per cent balance that is manufactured in India is primarily low value added manufacturing.
