Tripathi to lead chip mission

New Delhi: Akash Tripathi, chief executive of the Centre’s citizen engagement platform MyGov, is set to become the new CEO of India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), starting 9 October, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.

ISM functions as an independent, specialized division under the Digital India Corp. Established in 2021 with a financial commitment of $10 billion ( ₹76,000 crore) under the ministry of electronics and information technology, its primary mission is to cultivate a robust semiconductor and display ecosystem, besides positioning India as a leading global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.

The ISM reviews applications to set up semiconductor manufacturing in India, and selects candidates eligible for subsidies. Under the scheme, in July, the government approved the modernization of the Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali as a brownfield Fab. According to the people cited above, the ministry has notified the added responsibilities for Tripathi on 22 September.

Tripathi, a 1998 batch IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh cadre, holds a Bachelor of engineering in electronics. He began his career as an inspector in the income tax department in Bhubaneswar, subsequently serving as inspector in central excise, customs, and service tax in Kolkata. He also served as a collector director for Indore and Gwalior, collector deputy secretary, and collector under secretary, Morena, and Balaghat, and the commissioner under secretary at the Indore municipal corporation.

Tripathi will be succeeding Amitesh Kumar Sinha, whose tenure ends on 4 October. Sinha, an Indian Railway Accounts Service Officer, was also in charge of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for technology hardware.

He was also the ministry of electronics and information technology’s nodal officer for social media content takedowns under Section 69 of the IT Act.

According to sources, with Sinha’s period of deputation ending, his responsibilities are being divided among different top officials of the ministry. In the future, another joint secretary-level officer could be brought in to carry out these duties, the source said.

While joint secretary Sushil Pal is set to take charge of the ₹17,000-crore PLI scheme for IT hardware, another joint secretary in the ministry Sanket Bhondve will oversee the Section 69 content blocking orders. In September, Bhondve was appointed as an officer on special duty (OSD) to set up the Data Protection Board under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.

On 23 September, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a $2.75 billion semiconductor facility by Micron in the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation area of Chaarodi, Sanand, and the project scheduled to be operational by late 2024. Spread over 93 acres of land, Tata Projects has bagged the contract to build the semiconductor assembly and test plant and the construction of Phase 1 will include a 5,00,000 square feet cleanroom space.