The government intends to allocate Rs 4,500 crore for the modernization of the state-owned chip company Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) within the next three years, as announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) is an independent organization operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

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It stands as the sole establishment in the nation that offers comprehensive manufacturing services for the creation of Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), opto-electronics devices, and Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) devices, covering all stages of development from start to finish.

The minister announced that the central government has formally reached out to the Punjab state government with a request for a 25-acre plot of land to facilitate the project's growth.

"SCL will be modernised with an investment of Rs 4,500 crore over a period of the next three years," Vaishnaw said at the device handling ceremony here.

He stated that SCL would play a crucial role in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for semiconductors and reassured that there are no plans to privatize the facility.

 

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The minister said production at SCL needs to be increased 100 times. "There is a need to bring substantial change in technology. We need to take a big jump over decades-old technology that we have here. SCL Mohali will provide a 'tape out facility' for startups," the minister says.

He mentioned that SCL is poised to make a substantial contribution towards achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's semiconductor vision and ensured that privatization of the facility is not on the table.

The minister emphasized the necessity of multiplying production at SCL by a factor of 100. He stressed the importance of implementing significant technological advancements. The minister highlighted the urgency of transitioning from outdated technology that has been in use for decades. SCL Mohali is set to offer a 'tape out facility' for startups as an initiative to support technological innovation.

A "tape out facility" is a term used to describe a semiconductor production facility where a completed chip design is transferred to the manufacturing unit following the conclusion of the design process.

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He stated that there are 300 university students, including undergraduates and research fellows, utilizing cutting-edge EDA tools for chip design in the nation, with SCL poised to make a substantial contribution to the production of these chips.

Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools refer to software applications that are utilized in the creation of electronic systems including integrated circuits (ICs) and printed circuit boards (PCBs).

"We need to expand SCL Mohali. We have requested the Punjab government to allocate 25 acres of land. The faster you allocate the land, the faster it will help in the expansion of SCL Mohali," Vaishnaw says.