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Tag: Siddaramaiah

  • Karnataka Launches INR 1,000 Cr Quantum Mission to Become Asia’s Quantum Capital by 2035

    With the goal of making the state the “Quantum Capital of Asia” and establishing a $20 billion quantum economy by 2035, the Karnataka government has started the INR 1,000 Cr Quantum Mission.

    According to the ET, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that a Quantum Technology Task Force will direct policy and that Q-City, manufacturing zones, and quantum parks will encourage creativity in the state. He was speaking at the Bengaluru 2025 conference of Quantum India on 31 July.

    Commenting on the development, Bruce Keith, Cofounder, InvestorAi stated, “As one of the few foundational AI companies in India, we welcome Q-City and the other Karnataka initiatives. We have found the AI talent pool at the foundational end to be quite shallow so the PhD fellowship and college skilling programmes are very welcome. I believe that the transition from IT Services to specialised product niches is key to ensuring India’s success in this rapidly changing AI era.”

    Quantum Skilling and Job Creation in Karnataka

    The chief minister went on to say that the state wants to make Karnataka the Quantum Capital of Asia by 2035 and create 10,000 high-skilled jobs. In addition, the government intends to establish 150 PhD scholarships and quantum skilling programs in 20 colleges throughout the state.

    India’s First Quantum Hardware Park

    In order to increase domestic production of quantum components, Karnataka will construct India’s first Quantum Hardware Park, four innovation zones, and a specialised fabrication facility, Siddaramaiah added.

    In order to create two lakh jobs in the industry, the state would also set aside a Quantum Venture Capital Fund to invest in over 100 firms and assist in the creation of 100 patents.

    The decision was made at a time when the quantum technology industry is receiving more attention, with companies speeding up their products and looking to raise money to secure their place in the global market.

    How Karnataka’s Mission Aligns with India’s NQM?

    In 2023, the National Quantum Mission (NQM) was approved by the union cabinet, with a total expenditure of INR 6,003.65 Cr from FY24 to FY31. Under the Department of Science and Technology, the mission seeks to establish a dynamic and creative ecosystem in QT by establishing, fostering, and expanding scientific and industrial R&D.

    In August of last year, the NQM made public its intention to award funds to ten to fifteen businesses engaged in quantum technology.

    The development of very sensitive magnetometers in atomic systems and atomic clocks for accurate time, communications, and navigation will be the main goals of the National Quantum Mission.

    How NQM will help in Creating Quantum Devices?

    For the creation of quantum devices, NQM will also aid in the design and synthesis of quantum materials, including superconductors, innovative semiconductor architectures, and topological materials. Quantum communications, sensing, and metrological applications will also see the development of single-photon sources/detectors and entangled-photon sources.

    The nation’s technology development ecosystem might become globally competitive with the help of NQM. With applications in medication design, space, banking, security, and other areas, the mission would have a significant positive impact on a number of industries, including communication, health, and finance.

    Additionally, the Mission will significantly advance national initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, Stand-up India, Start-up India, and Self-reliant India.

    Recent Quantum Startups Backed by NQM

    In April of this year, QNu Labs, a quantum cybersecurity business, obtained INR 60 Cr in Series A funding backed by the NQM. Only a few weeks ago, the deeptech startup QpiAI earned $32 million in its Series A fundraising round, which was co-led by Avataar Ventures and NQM.

  • Karnataka CM Slams Meta Over ‘Flawed’ Kannada Translations

    “Faulty auto translation of Kannada content on Meta platforms” has drawn harsh criticism from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This comes after Meta’s automatic translation engine mistranslated a Facebook condolence message from the chief minister’s office and pronounced Siddaramaiah deceased.

    Originally composed in Kannada to lament the passing of legendary actor B. Saroja Devi, the post was incorrectly translated into English, resulting in criticism from Siddaramaiah and a formal letter to Meta. The chief minister claimed on social media site X that inaccurate Kannada content auto-translation on Meta platforms is confusing users and misrepresenting the facts.

    This is particularly risky when it comes to official correspondence. Siddaramaiah also emphasised the need for social media companies to behave properly. Additionally, he warned the public that the translations displayed are frequently incorrect. Such carelessness on the part of tech behemoths can undermine public confidence and comprehension.

    Letter from CM’s Office to Meta India

    K V Prabhakar, the CM’s media advisor, publicly wrote to Meta after the public remark, requesting prompt remedial action. The state administration has expressed worry about the many inaccuracies and, in certain instances, egregious misleadingness of the auto-translation from Kannada to English, according to Prabhakar’s letter to the Meta India team.

    This presents a serious risk, particularly when official declarations, public communications, or crucial messages from the government and chief minister are mistranslated.

    Meta Expanding its Support to Indian Languages

    The occurrence of this incident coincides with Meta’s efforts to increase the number of Indian languages supported on its platforms and services. The platform has added Hindi and Hindi-Romanised script to its list of accessible languages for its Meta AI helper.

    Meta has also improved its ability to fact-check text in a number of Indian languages. In order to incorporate languages like Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Kashmiri, Bhojpuri, Oriya, and Nepali into its fact-checking programme, it has partnered with organisations and extended its current alliances.

    Meta’s Trouble with AI Continues

    The SuperIntelligence Lab at Meta, established to further the company’s AI goals, is at a turning point. The business is now reevaluating the same tenet that brought it recognition for transparency and innovation acceleration.

    Previously, it set itself apart from covert rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google by openly disclosing its most potent AI models. Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale AI, was recently named Chief AI Officer by the business, which also announced plans to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in large AI supercomputing clusters called Prometheus and Hyperion.

    Sources familiar with the company’s discussions claim that these actions have successfully eliminated internal opposition to limiting model access. Chinese AI labs have jumped at the chance to assert leadership in the open-source AI space as Meta re-examines its open strategy, potentially creating a long-lasting edge in the global AI infrastructure.

  • Karnataka Passes Bill to Create Quotas for Locals in Private Employment

    A bill requiring private sector employers in Karnataka to hire locals has been adopted by the Siddaramaiah Cabinet. The law specifies a 50% quota for management roles and a 70% quota for non-management roles.

    The decision was announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on X, who said that on Monday, the state cabinet had passed a bill to require all private enterprises in the state to recruit only Kannadigas for lower-grade (Group ‘C’ and ‘D’) positions. The Chief Minister, however, removed the post in response to the criticism. The bill’s draught language, however, omits any reference to the full reserve of positions in Groups C and D.

    “It is our government’s wish that Kannadigas should not be deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada and should be given an opportunity to build a comfortable life in their motherland,” he explained, while explaining the decision.

    With “looking after the welfare of Kannadigas” as its first goal, Siddaramaiah called his administration a “pro-Kannada” one.

    The state government emphasized its commitment to consulting with the business and addressing the concerns after the announcement received strong criticism.

    What Bill Exactly States

    According to the bill, a local candidate must be a Kannada speaker, reader, and writer who was born in Karnataka and has lived in the state for at least fifteen years.

    Applicants must have completed secondary school and have Kannada as one of their language choices. If they do not, the government-notified nodal agency will specify that they must pass a Kannada proficiency test, according to the Bill.

    Companies and organizations, in tandem with the government, should work to train local candidates within three years if there is a shortage of qualified candidates.

    Businesses can ask for a waiver if they still can’t find enough qualified locals. The Bill states, however, that the relaxation must be at least 25% for management categories and 50% for non-management categories.

    Penalties for violations of the Employment of Local Candidates Act may reach INR 10,000 to INR 25,000.

    Eagerly Anticipated

    Amidst calls for a complete quota of Kannadigas in government jobs, the bill was approved. 

    The Sarojini Mahishi report, which called for a local quota in both public and commercial sector employment, was proposed earlier in July by Kannada organizations, who had staged rallies across the state to demand its immediate implementation.

    The 1984 report was filed by Mahishi, who was the first woman to hold the office of a member of parliament from Karnataka and a former union minister. A hundred percent local hiring for group C and D positions in Karnataka-based public sector enterprises (PSUs) and central government agencies was one of the 58 suggestions made in the study.

    What is 50% and 75% Quota?

    To comply with the law, businesses must hire locals for at least half of their managerial roles and three-quarters of their non-management posts. Except for the directors, everyone holding a supervisory, managerial, technical, operational, or higher position in any business, organization, or facility is considered to be part of the management team. Personnel engaged in non-management roles include those with clerical, unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, information technology/information engineering, contract, or casual duties.

    All private companies in the state shall employ only Kannadigas for C and D-grade positions, according to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Clerks, laboratory technicians, and chemists are examples of lower-level positions in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) that fall under the C and D grade categories.

    Sharing her views on this development, Shreya Sharma, Lawyer and Founder, Rest The Case opined, “For companies, this new regulation could mean additional administrative burdens and costs, as they navigate the complexities of ensuring compliance. There’s also a concern that some businesses might think twice before investing in Karnataka, fearing these new hurdles could make it harder to operate efficiently.”

    “Therefore striking balance is the key and for that government needs to prepare a detailed map. A gradual implementation of the quota, coupled with strong local skill development programs, could help bridge the gap. This way, Kannadigas are better prepared to fill these roles without putting undue strain on businesses. Ultimately, while the quota aims to uplift local communities, it’s crucial to strike a balance,” she added.

    Similar Move in Other States

    The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, which imposed a 75% quota for state domiciles in private sector positions paying less than INR 30,000 per month, was declared invalid in 2023 by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Because it prevented private companies from freely recruiting from the market, the court found that the Act went beyond the State’s legislative power. Additionally, it determined that the Act discriminated against the rights to equality and freedom guaranteed by the Constitution in Articles 14 and 19, respectively.

    The court claimed that the 75% local reservation violated the rights of people from neighboring states and could lead to similar nationwide restrictions, essentially creating “artificial walls” throughout India. The document stressed that these limitations unfairly limit employees’ freedom of movement across the nation.

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