Karnataka retaining it’s No.1 position in the second edition of India Innovation Index ranking released by NITI Aayog, opens up a vista of opportunities for young management graduates. As noted by a top Government official in a media report, “the pandemic triggered an economic shutdown, while the role of innovation to revitalise the economy took precedence.”
In this innovation matrix, the role of dissemination of crucial information pertaining to policy and ease of implementation of schemes cannot be undermined. This is where communication – through traditional mainstream media channels as well as digital communication on Government official accounts act as amplifiers of the message, strengthening the signalling to strategically reach potential investors. The high FDI inflow is a result of favourable and effective communication processes broadcasting the message loud and clear “that the State is keen to walk the talk and has its bureaucratic machinery well geared up to interact and communicate with a global audience”.
Budding entrepreneurs and citizens keen to harvest this eco-system must take the plunge – with a deep understanding of the State’s vision and mission and its existing structures and processes for greater success rates and accountability.
Karnataka’s fertile ground for innovation lies well beyond its capital- Bengaluru. All of its 31 districts have unique identities and industrial profiles. A crucial part of the innovation index is the Geographical Indicator – GI. The State’s three principal regions – namely Coastal, Malnaad, Maidan, abound with crops, industries, artisans and renewable energy sectors for potential investors to mull about. Coorg Arabica Coffee, Nanjangud Banana, Mysore Betel leaf, Ganjifa card- the state was awarded 41 GI’s recently.
Having seen the reach and effectiveness of communication as part of media outreach programs at the Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development, Mysore the role of innovation at the grassroots level, especially with the “Apthamitra app” during the last few months has seen the optimal utilisation of technology to accelerate innovation in rural Karnataka.
The State government’s digital communication through Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, as well through the traditional channels such as All India Radio, Doordarshan and local vernacular Press has been thoughtfully and carefully constructed for optimal reach.
Bengaluru was the first city to have Asia’s largest industrial area- Peenya Industrial Complex, established in the 1970s on an area of 38 square kilometers. There are 4500 SSIs. These industries are engaged in a range of manufacturing and service activities in engineering and agricultural equipment, chemical, pharmaceutical, electrical, electronics, electroplating, building materials, automotive parts, castings, foundries, forgings, garments and scientific instruments. Garment making and exporting units alone number 100 and form a big group at the Peenya Industrial Estate. Several units in the Peenya area supply a wide range of products to larger companies and MNCs like Bosch, HAL and MICO, providing jobs to about two lakh workers. The Greater Peenya Industrial Area was formed in 1995 and is in its fourth phase. The Bangalore Rural District around this area is covered under three Agri Export Zones for Gherkins, Rose, onions and the facilities created here can turnover over one million flowers a day. The access to the International Airport and road infrastructure ensures shelf life of these perishables is not lost/wasted in transit.
The city of Bengaluru with its innumerable IT SEZs and vast facilities of Aerospace, Pharma, Automobile and Manufacturing organisations has plenty of opportunities for innovators to enter into the territory of facilities management with eco-initiatives to reduce Carbon emissions.
Cost saving through energy efficiency is something that strategic facilities management gives a lot of importance to because it is often overlooked or taken for granted and yet can have a knock- on effect in other areas.
A major challenge facing facilities is reducing demand for energy not only for economic reasons, but also because energy consumption goes hand-in-hand with carbon emissions. Reducing energy during the operational phase of a facility’s life cycle remains a significant factor to reduce the carbon emissions.
Corporate entities want to adopt green initiatives in every aspect of facilities management including the design phase. As more and more corporate entities choose to become carbon and water neutral, facilities managers will have to become more innovative in the way they manage their facilities and comply with the UN SDGs and here is a huge opportunity for innovators to come in.
How can an investor elicit information and seek the right channel to communicate with the Government? Which are those avenues that can give the right amount of information in the most concise and timely manner? The next blog in this series will explore those venues.
Dr Deepti Ganapathy teaches Management Communication at IIM Bangalore.