ISM: Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw recently launched India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

Key Points:

• ISM has been launched to attract large investments for setting up semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities in India.
• Under the scheme, the interested companies are invited by the Centre for the development of the semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.
• These companies will get an advantage of Rs 76,000-crore incentives set aside by the central government for developing semiconductors and demonstrating India's manufacturing ecosystem.
• To avail this advantage the companies will have to apply for the scheme beginning January 1, 2022.
• In order to receive applications for the scheme, a portal has been created.

About India Semiconductor Mission (ISM):

• ISM is a specialized and independent business division within the Digital India Corporation.
• It is a government-led initiative to develop semiconductors in India (ISM).
• The mission goal is to build a vibrant semiconductor besides displaying ecosystem in order for India to emergence as a global hub in electronics manufacturing and design.
• It has the authority to negotiate with applicants under semiconductor fab scheme and display fab scheme.
• It also has the autonomy to choose the appropriate technology mix, node generation, applications, and capacity, among other things.

Background:

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had announced this scheme on December 21, 2021.
• The Union Cabinet had approved all these four schemes on December 15, 2021.
• The centre has committed to provide financial support of Rs 2.30 trillion to position India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing.
• The program was created in order to attract large investments in the production of AMOLED-based display panels or TFT LCDs.

Fiscal Support:

• The financial support of up to 50% of the project cost (ceiling of Rs 12,000 crore per fab) in order to set up certain variants of silicon-based semiconductor fab across India will be provided for the scheme for setting up display fabs.
• Fiscal support will be provided on ‘pari-passu’ basis for a period of six years from the date of approval both for semiconductor fabs and display fabs.

What is a semiconductor?

What is a semiconductor?

• A semiconductor is a material product that is usually made up of silicon.
• It conducts electricity more than an insulator, such as glass, but less than a pure conductor, such as metallic copper or aluminum.
• The electrical conductivity of the semiconductor can be altered with the introduction of impurities to meet the specific needs of the electronic component in which it resides.

What is a fab?

• A fab is short for a fabrication plant where raw silicon wafers are processed and transformed into integrated circuits.