- The Central Government approved ₹193 crore through the State Capital Investments Scheme
- Money set aside for water infrastructure and hostels for working women
- The initiative backs the iPhone contract manufacturer Tata Electronics
Under the State Capital Investments Scheme, the Central Government has approved ₹193 crore to support the construction of infrastructure for female employees at Tata Electronics' manufacturing plant in the Kolar district of Karnataka's Narasapura industrial area. The money will be utilized to build necessary water supply systems in the industrial area and neighboring villages, as well as working women's hostels.
Tata Electronics is establishing a sizable production facility in Narasapura after purchasing Taiwanese contract manufacturer Wistron for $125 million two years ago. About 18,000 women are anticipated to work at the facility. The Karnataka government approved a thorough project report and has already set aside money for water infrastructure in order to support this sizable female workforce. The project is expected to be finished in 18 months, and the hostel will house 6,000 female employees.
The significance of the water supply project was underlined in a state government notification, which also pointed out that the operation of industrial units targeted at women may be hampered by the lack of such fundamental infrastructure. Karnataka's Single Nodal Agency (SNA) has already received ₹127 crore from the Center to start implementation.
According to Karnataka Industries Minister M.B. Patil, the program is a component of a larger initiative to boost female employment. Ten to fifteen percent of industrial areas have been set aside for housing facilities under the state's most recent industrial policy, with a focus on allowing women to continue working.
Relatedly, Foxconn, Apple's contract manufacturer, is anticipated to start producing iPhones in June at its ₹21,911 crore facility in Devanahalli, which is situated in the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR). The 300-acre property is expected to grow into the biggest iPhone production facility outside of China. Plans call for 30,000 female employees to live in dorms, and the project as a whole is anticipated to create 50,000 jobs.
Karnataka continues to lead the nation in female labor participation, with a rate of 31.5 percent, according to the 2021–22 Periodic Labour Force Survey. Compared to rural women, who are mostly employed in agriculture, urban women are more likely to work in manufacturing and service-related industries. Nationally, female worker participation has also improved, with the ratio rising from 22 percent in 2017–18 to 40.3 percent in 2023–24 and the labor force participation rate rising from 23.3 percent to 41.7 percent, according to Sumita Dawra, secretary of the labor ministry.
