- The course will provide advanced high-paying job-oriented training for 200 students.
- V-SAT stations in 80 villages across Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha will resolve connectivity issues.
The Indian government plans to provide training in semiconductor technology to tribal students in collaboration with the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
In partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the tribal affairs ministry also intends to use satellite-based technology to enhance mobile and internet connectivity in remote tribal villages on a pilot basis.
The launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) has boosted the potential for job opportunities in the semiconductor industry.. The ISM aims to develop a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem, positioning India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
The tribal affairs ministry and IISc will establish a training fab unit to offer a course on semiconductor technology to tribal students. The course will provide advanced job-oriented training for 200 students, with the potential for high-paying placements in the industry.
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda announced these initiatives at an event, expressing the desire to integrate them with the PM-JANMAN scheme. The PM-JANMAN scheme, with a budget of around Rs 24,000 crore, aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by providing basic facilities to PVTG households and habitations.
Minister Munda also emphasised the need to improve mobile connectivity in remote tribal areas. The ministry plans to establish V-SAT stations in 80 villages across Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Odisha to resolve connectivity issues, with plans to extend the project to other states in the next phase.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath mentioned that V-SAT connectivity would support education and healthcare-related activities and suggested leveraging satellite-based technology in agriculture and identifying tribal land.
The ministry is collaborating with IIT-Delhi and IIM-Calcutta to develop a nationwide entrepreneurship ecosystem for tribal youth. This partnership aims to create a sustainable social impact through tribal enterprises and startups, providing comprehensive support to tribal artisans and producers for wider market access for their products.
