Odisha: BJD leader Debi Prasad applauds Union Cabinet's approval of two semiconductor plants

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 12 (ANI): Former Industries Minister and BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra on Tuesday applauded the Union Cabinet's decision to approve the setting up of two semiconductor projects in Odisha and said that it is a positive development for the state.
Speaking to ANI, the BJD leader said, "It is a good thing that ultimately two semiconductor units have come to Odisha as the Union Cabinet has passed the resolution today."
He recalled that during Naveen Patnaik's tenure as chief minister, the state government had formulated its semiconductor policy in 2023 after several rounds of discussions.
"Prior to it, we have had several rounds of discussion. On the instruction of Naveen Patnaik, we visited Silicon Valley in 2015... It should be expeditiously implemented by the government here, facilitating this thing, so that this dream seen earlier can now become a reality," Mishra told ANI.
Earlier in the day, Odisha Minister Sampad Chandra Swain welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision and said the government is working to train youth in semiconductor technology.
"The Cabinet has given approval for two semiconductor projects by SicSem Private Ltd and 3D Glass Solutions Inc, today. We are working to train our youth in semiconductor technology. We are also making an FDI park in Odisha to attract more investment," Sampad Chandra Swain told ANI.
The Odisha Minister further said that several investors had shown interest in semiconductor manufacturing during the recent investment summit in the state.
"During the investment summit in the state, many investors had expressed interest in setting up semiconductor plants. We are preparing a plan to bring more investment, focusing on the textile sector to increase employment. We are also establishing textile, apparel, and footwear parks in six different locations across the state. We are focusing on 2036 Samridh Odisha," he added.
Apart from the two units in Odisha, the Union Cabinet also cleared one semiconductor project each in Rajasthan and Punjab. The government has earmarked Rs 4,600 crore for the projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
The approvals take the total India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) portfolio to 10 projects across six states with cumulative investments of Rs 1.6 lakh crore. The government said the move is in line with its vision of building a robust and self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem to support sectors ranging from defence to consumer electronics.
Two of the approved projects will come up in Odisha's Info Valley, Bhubaneswar, making the state an emerging hub for the sector.
SiCSem Private Limited will set up the country's first commercial compound semiconductor fabrication facility, capable of producing 60,000 wafers annually and packaging 96 million units. The plant's products will cater to applications in electric vehicles, railways, fast chargers, data centres, solar inverters, consumer appliances and missile systems.
The second Odisha project, by 3D Glass Solutions Inc. (3DGS), will establish an advanced packaging and embedded glass substrate facility. It will introduce the world's most advanced semiconductor packaging technology to India, with an annual capacity of 69,600 glass panel substrates, 50 million assembled units and 13,200 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) modules. The technology will be used in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, defence electronics, radio frequency and photonics applications.
The approvals mark a decisive step in positioning India as a global semiconductor hub. "These projects will accelerate our journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in electronics manufacturing and create a talent pool that will serve global industry," the government said in a statement.
The ISM has already attracted major investments and fostered a growing design ecosystem, with 72 startups and 278 academic institutions engaged in semiconductor R&D and training. Over 60,000 students are benefiting from semiconductor talent development programmes across the country. (ANI)