Mangaluru tech park proposal to be approved very soon: Minister, Priyank Kharge

Mangaluru tech park proposal to be approved very soon: Minister, Priyank Kharge

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 24, 2025: Minister for Electronics, IT/BT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge said the proposal for setting up Mangaluru’s largest tech park is expected to come before the state cabinet for approval either tomorrow or next week.

Speaking at the fifth edition of Mangaluru Technovanza 2025, an initiative of the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) under the Beyond Bengaluru programme, at the TMA Pai Convention Centre, here on Wednesday, he said the proposed tech park will come up on 3.25 acres of land with a built-up area of 3.5 lakh sq. ft. and an investment outlay of Rs 3,500 crore.

Kharge said Karnataka’s Global Capability Centres (GCC) policy is designed to be ambitious, targeting the establishment of 500 new GCCs in the state by 2029, with the potential to generate 3.5 lakh jobs. He further announced that the govt will introduce a circular economy policy within the next month.When former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai emphasised the need for an Elevate AI 100 programme, modelled on the earlier Elevate 100 initiative that supported startups and strengthened Karnataka’s startup ecosystem, the minister responded that the proposal would be taken up during the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025, to be held from November 18 to 20.

We can call it Elevate AI 100 or even Elevate AI 500, whatever the industry decides, I am ready to commit Rs 5 crore. He asked Mohandas Pai to ensure that the country’s top 25 VCs attend the summit and pledge another Rs 5 crore. The funding will be dedicated exclusively to Karnataka. In the Future Makers session, we will hold a special segment on Elevate AI,” he said.

BV Naidu, Chairman, KDEM, urged the minister to consider a GIFT City–like hub in Karnataka and a data centre hub in Mangaluru. Responding, the minister said the proposal for GIFT City was earlier declined by the Union govt.

“The Centre has maintained that the country can have only one GIFT City hub. If all MPs from Karnataka collectively engage with the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister, this decision could be reconsidered,” he said. He further noted that Mangaluru has the potential to emerge as a strong contender for a data centre. “We have already submitted a proposal to the Department of Energy to develop an industry-specific energy plan. For a data centre, ensuring energy and water security is crucial. Work is underway, and we aim to present a blueprint by the next budget session,” he added. He also suggested a Centre of Excellence or an AI Corridor and a FinTech COE

MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, assuring support, said that the union and state govt need to work together to realise Mangaluru’s potential.