New Delhi, July 31 (KNN) The government has sanctioned the ‘Semicon India Programme’ with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, aiming to establish a robust semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country.
The information was shared by Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, during a session of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
As a strategic component of the programme, the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme has been allocated Rs 1,000 crore to bolster domestic capabilities in semiconductor design.
The scheme specifically targets startups, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and other domestic firms, with the objective of reducing high entry barriers and promoting the commercialisation of locally designed semiconductor products.
To support early-stage development, the DLI Scheme offers design infrastructure, including access to Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and Intellectual Property (IP) cores.
Eligible applicants can receive financial incentives of up to 50 percent of approved costs, capped at Rs 15 crore per application, for design prototyping and scaling.
Additionally, companies can avail performance-linked incentives ranging from 6 percent to 4 percent of net sales turnover for five years, capped at Rs 30 crore per application, to support product deployment and commercialisation.
Since its launch in December 2021, the DLI Scheme has facilitated access to advanced EDA tools for 278 academic institutions under the Chips to Startup (C2S) initiative and 72 startups.
Financial support has been sanctioned for 23 firms and startups engaged in the design of semiconductor solutions for applications such as surveillance cameras, energy meters, microprocessor IPs, and networking.
The total approved project outlay under the DLI Scheme currently stands at Rs 803.08 crore, inclusive of the cost of EDA tools.
These projects are at varying stages of design and development, with funding disbursed in tranches based on predefined milestones such as prototype development and chip deployment.
The DLI Scheme is being implemented in close coordination with industry stakeholders, with provisions for adjustments based on evolving technological needs and industry feedback.
(KNN Bureau)
