Bengaluru: Raichur MP Kumar Naik has urged the Union government to ensure states have a clear role in India’s National Quantum Mission (NQM), which aims to advance cutting-edge technologies crucial for the country’s economy and security.
Raising the matter in the Lok Sabha under Rule 377 earlier this month, Naik said Karnataka in particular should not be left behind, given its established research base and emerging start-up ecosystem in advanced computing.
Responding to his appeal, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh assured that states are already part of the Mission’s governance structure. He explained that each of the four Thematic Hubs — located at IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, and IIT Delhi — will have a Hub Governing Board (HGB) that includes a senior officer nominated by the respective state.
Dr. Singh also confirmed that a letter has been sent to the Karnataka Chief Secretary to nominate an officer to the Quantum Computing Hub at IISc, Bengaluru.
Welcoming the move, Naik said Karnataka’s participation will help link local innovation with the national quantum roadmap, keeping the state at the forefront of India’s scientific advances.