All major railway stations are on high alert with special security arrangements, said railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. File Photo
‘No place for frivolous applicants’: Vaishnaw seeks long-term commitment from semiconductor players
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says India's semiconductor and electronics manufacturing schemes will prioritise players with long-term commitments.
New Delhi, Nov 6 (PTI) IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the government's semiconductor programme, as well as manufacturing schemes for components and mobile phones are meant only for serious, technologically capable players and that there is no place for "frivolous" applicants.
"We don't want placeholders," Vaishnaw said in a strong message to the industry, and added that he had asked IT Secretary to remove 18-19 non-serious players from the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) list as well.
On Friday, the government launched the web application portal for Semicon 2.0, which will initially receive applications related to three of the programme's six pillars: machines and materials, fabs, and packaging. Guidelines have so far been issued only for these three pillars, and the portal is now inviting applications for them. Other three areas pertain to design, R&D and talent.
Describing the semiconductor industry as a foundational industry, Vaishnaw emphasised that the portal will only accept applications that are complete in all respects. He added that it had been designed such that no frivolous or incomplete application could be accepted.
"The portal will accept only those applications which are complete in all respects. Its purpose is that only extremely serious players should participate. There is no place for frivolous applicants...we have made this clear to the industry," the Minister said.
He was addressing an event where the government announced that a new tranche of 12 applications, worth over Rs 7,500 crore have been green-lit under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, and that the Semicon 2.0 web application portal is now inviting project proposals.
Stressing that the approach was driven by the desire to secure the country's future, the Minister said the government will take important decisions and calls - however tough they may be - to ensure a bright future for India. The guidelines and the portal, he said, were shaped by this thinking.
Vaishnaw said the same principle would apply across other schemes too, including the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) and the freshly-minted mobile phone manufacturing scheme. Only serious players who want to contribute to the country's growth and build the base for its future should come forward, Vaishnaw pointed out.
Such applicants, he said, should be tech savvy, understand technology and be deeply rooted in the sector. He added that those who come forward must be in it for the long term and be ready for a journey of many years.
Referring to applications that have already been identified as non-serious under ECMS, the minister asked that they be rejected.
"We don't want placeholders, and I have requested Meity (Ministry of Electronics and IT) Secretary to remove all the placeholders from the ECMS application also...those 18-19 applications that you have identified who are non-serious, please reject them. We only want serious players in this journey," he said turning to IT Secretary S Krishnan.
Those focused on adding value to the country and who understand Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision are welcome, the Minister said.
The government wants only serious players in this journey, he said, not those who are in it to take advantage of government policy. "Those days are gone," Vaishnaw said. PTI