Category Archives: Quantum Computing

US research on artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing would see dramatic boosts in funding for 2021, under a proposed budget released by the White House on 10 February. Thebudget requestissued by President Donald Trump makes cuts across most science agencies for the 2021 fiscal year, which begins on 1 October 2020. Although Congress has repeatedly rebuffed such requests for cutsand has, in fact, increased science spending in the enacted budgetsthe 132-page document from the White House offers a view into the administrations priorities and ambitions leading up to the November election.

Among US agencies that fund and conduct research, NASA would see big gains. The National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy (DOE), among others, are slated for budget reductions.

Trump is being Trump, says Michael Lubell, a physicist at the City College of New York who tracks federal science-policy issues. All of Trumps budgets have sought to slash funding for the US research enterprise, but he has yet to convince lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Lubell says. He can ask for what he wants, but it doesnt mean its going to happen.

Under the presidents request, NASA would get US$25.2 billion for fiscal year 2021, a jump of nearly 12% over funding enacted by Congress for the current year. The money is meant to jump-start the administrations plans to send astronauts to the Moon by the end of 2024. The request includes $3.4 billion to develop lunar landers that could carry humans. Last year, lawmakers granted $600 million towards developing such landersless than half of what the White House asked for.

Under the banner of a Moon-to-Mars strategy, the presidents request also includes $529 million for robotic exploration of Mars. That would include bringing back a set of rock samples that will be collected by a rover slated to launch in July, and developing an ice-mapping mission to gather information for future landing sites.

NASAs Science Mission Directorate, which funds external research projects and partners, would receive $6.3 billion, which is the same amount proposed by the White House last year but would be a nearly 12% decrease from what Congress allocated. As in previous years, the presidents request aims to cancel NASAs next flagship space telescope, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, as well as the planned Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) and Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder Earth-science missions. Also on the proposed chopping block is the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a telescope that flies aboard a jumbo jet. Congress has rejected those requested cuts in past years.

The presidents budget proposes $38.7 billion for the NIH, about a 7% cut on the current level of $41.7 billion. The proposal is consistent with past White House budget requests; last year, the administration requested a $5-billion cut. As in the past 2 years, the budget proposes creating a new $335-million NIH institute, the National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality, to replace the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality at the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, as part of the administrations broader push to use and develop AI across sectors, the White House allocates $50 million of its proposed NIH budget for the study of chronic diseases using AI.

The White House proposal seeks a total of $7.7 billion for the NSF for fiscal year 2021, a decrease of more than $500 million from the enacted 2020 budget. This includes a 6% decrease in funding for research and development.

The presidents request includes reductions to six of the NSFs seven research directorates, including cuts of more than $100 million each for biological sciences and engineering. Computer and information science and engineering would be the only major research area to see an increase in its funding, consistent with the administrations plans to prioritize AI and quantum computing. These two areas will receive a combined $1 billion of the NSF budget under the presidents proposal. The NSF budget also includes $50 million for workforce development, with a focus on community colleges, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. But the budget calls for deep cuts to other diversity-focused initiatives, such as the HBCU Excellence in Research programme

Proposed cuts of more than 10% would slash the budgets for geoscience research, the Office of International Science and Engineering and the Office of Polar Programs, which maintains the US research presence in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Tim Clancy, the president of Arch Street, a consulting company in Alexandria, Virginia, with a focus on federal science policy, says that although Congress has typically rejected Trumps proposed cuts to science funding, strict budget caps this year might mean that legislators will have to make difficult decisions about cutting programmes in order to free up money for the presidents AI and quantum initiatives.

The budget would provide $5.8 billion for the DOEs Office of Science, a drop of nearly 17% from 2020 levels. The office would see sharp decreases across its portfolio, which spans biological and environmental research, fusion and high-energy physics. Only the advanced scientific computing programme, with roughly level funding of $988 million, would escape the cuts.

The White House once again proposed slashing funding for clean-energy research. The popular Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)which received a record $425 million last yearwould be eliminated, and the office of energy efficiency and renewable energy would see its budget slashed by roughly 74%. Funding for fossil-fuel research and development would drop by less than 3%, to $731 million.

The proposal faces long odds on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have balked at such cuts. Last year, for instance, the administration sought to cut the Office of Sciences budget by nearly 16%; Congress responded by nudging the total up 6%, to a record $7 billion.

The White House is once again seeking to drastically cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which would see its budget drop by roughly 26%, to $6.7 billion. The budget would provide just $478 million for science and technology, a decrease of 33%. But Congress has repeatedly rejected the administrations attempts to cut funding for the EPA, whose budget has increased since Trump entered the White House.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would receive more than $4.6 billion, a drop of 14%. The core science budget in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would fall by more than 40% to $327 million, although Congress rejected a similar cut last year. The administration has once again proposed eliminating the National Sea Grant College Program, which promotes research into the conservation and sustainable development of marine resources, and which Congress has thus far maintained. The budget would provide $188 million for sea-floor mapping and exploration efforts along the US coasts.

This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on February 10 2020.

Read the rest here:
NASA Soars and Others Plummet in Trump's Budget Proposal - Scientific American

With help from John Hendel, Cristiano Lima, Leah Nylen and Katy Murphy

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If Sanders wins in New Hampshire: If the polls hold true, the tech world may see a ton more heat from the Vermont senator, who has long been critical of tech giants market power and labor practices.

Trumps 2021 funding requests: President Donald Trumps 2021 budget proposal would give big funding boosts to artificial intelligence and quantum computing, as well as the Commerce Departments NTIA and the Justice Departments antitrust division, but not to the FTC or FCC.

Bipartisanship at risk?: House Judiciarys Republican leaders say recent comments from the Democratic chairman about Silicon Valley giants threatens the panels tech antitrust probe, a rare point of bipartisanship in a hotly divided Congress.

ITS TUESDAY, AND ALL EYES ARE ON THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY OF 2020: NEW HAMPSHIRE. WELCOME TO MORNING TECH! Im your host, Alexandra Levine.

Got a news tip? Write Alex at alevine@politico.com or @Ali_Lev. An event for our calendar? Send details to techcalendar@politicopro.com. Anything else? Full team info below. And dont forget: add @MorningTech and @PoliticoPro on Twitter.

WHAT NEW HAMPSHIRE MEANS FOR TECH A week after winning the most votes in Iowa, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is polling first in New Hampshire, with Pete Buttigieg a close-second. (Further behind, and mostly neck-and-neck, are Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar.) What could this mean for the tech world? Just about anything.

But if the Vermont senator prevails in tonights Democratic presidential primary, we can expect to hear more of his usual anti-Amazon commentary (Sanders has repeatedly criticized Amazons labor practices and complained that the online giant pays zero in taxes); more break up big tech talk (Sanders has said he would absolutely look to break up tech companies like Amazon, Google and Facebook); and more attacks on corporate power and influence (he has proposed taxing tech giants based on how big a gap exists between the salaries of their CEOs and their mid-level employees).

Several prime tech policy issues are also fair game: Sanders criminal justice reform plan includes a ban on law enforcements use of facial recognition technology, and he has spoken out about tech's legal liability shield, Section 230 debates that are playing out (often, with fireworks) at the federal level. (Further reading in POLITICO Magazine: Is it Bernies Party Now?)

Plus: Could New Hampshire be the next Iowa? State and local election officials running this primary without apps (voters will cast their ballots on paper, which in some cases will be counted by hand) say no. POLITICOs Eric Geller provides the birds-eye view.

Heres everything you need to know about the 2020 race in New Hampshire.

BUDGET DISPATCH: HUGE JUMP FOR DOJ ANTITRUST, NO BIG CHANGES FOR FCC AND FTC The White House on Monday rolled out its fiscal year 2021 funding requests, including a proposed 71 percent bump in congressional spending on the Justice Departments antitrust division an increase that, as Leah reports, is another indicator that the agency is serious about its pending investigations into tech giants like Google and Facebook. (It would also allow the agency to hire 87 additional staffers.)

In contrast, the FCC and FTC arent requesting any big changes in their funding or staffing. The FCC is seeking $343 million, up 1.2 percent from its 2020 funding level, while the FTC is asking for a little over $330 million, which is about $800,000 less than its current funding. The FCC noted its on track to move to its new Washington headquarters in June, while FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, a Democrat, objected to the request for her agency, saying in a statement that it does not accurately reflect the funding the FTC needs to protect consumers and promote competition.

Artificial intelligence and quantum computing would also receive big funding boosts under the budget proposal, Nancy reports. So would the Commerce Departments NTIA, to help prepare the agency for 5G and other technological changes, as John reported for Pros.

IS THE BIPARTISAN TECH ANTITRUST PROBE IN JEOPARDY? The House Judiciary Committees investigation into competition in the tech sector which garnered rare bipartisan momentum in a hotly divided Congress could now be in trouble. On Monday night, the committees Republican leaders criticized Democratic Chairman Jerry Nadlers recent remarks railing against the power of Silicon Valley giants, writing in a letter that Nadlers comments "have jeopardized" the panel's "ability to perform bipartisan work." Spokespeople for Nadler did not offer comment. A Cicilline spokesperson declined comment.

The dust-up marks the first major sign of fracturing between House Judiciary Republicans and Democrats over their bipartisan investigation into possible anti-competitive conduct in the tech industry a probe widely seen as one of Silicon Valleys biggest threats on Capitol Hill, Cristiano reports in a new dispatch. The dispute could threaten the push to advance bipartisan antitrust legislation in the House, something House Judiciary antitrust Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) has said the committee plans to do early this year.

T-MOBILE-SPRINT WIN T-Mobile and Sprint can merge, a federal judge is expected to rule today, rejecting a challenge by California, New York and other state attorneys general, Leah reports. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero is expected to release his hotly anticipated decision on the $26.2 billion telecom megadeal later this morning.

FCCS FUTURE-OF-WORK FOCUS Amazon, AT&T, Walmart, LinkedIn and Postmates are among the tech companies expected at a future-of-work event today that Democratic FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks is hosting at the agencys headquarters.

The public roundtable will address the same kinds of issues that several Democratic presidential candidates have raised, such as concerns about AIs effect on labor economies. Issues of #5G, #InternetInequality, automation & education are colliding in ways that will impact all Americans, Starks wrote on Twitter. Eager to host this important policy discussion!

CCPA UPDATE: GET ME REWRITE! California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Monday published a business-friendly tweak to his proposed Privacy Act regulations, a change that his office said had been inadvertently omitted from a revised draft unveiled on Friday.

Only businesses that collect, sell or share the information of at least 10 million Californians per year thats about 1 in 4 residents would have to report annual statistics about CCPA requests and how quickly they responded to privacy-minded consumers, under the change. That threshold was originally 4 million.

The update will come as a relief to companies that no longer need to pull back the curtain on their Privacy Act responsiveness. Its also good news for procrastinators, as the new deadline for submitting comments on the AGs rules was pushed back a day to Feb. 25.

TECH QUOTE DU JOUR Senate Judiciary antitrust Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) offered colorful praise on Monday for Sen. Josh Hawleys (R-Mo.) proposal to have the Justice Department absorb the FTC, a plan aimed in part at addressing concerns over the FTCs enforcement of antitrust standards in the technology sector.

Having two federal agencies in charge of enforcing antitrust law makes as much sense as having two popes, Lee told MT in an emailed statement. This is an issue weve had hearings on in the Judiciary Committee and I think Sen. Hawley has identified a productive and constitutionally sound way forward. (Hawleys proposal swiftly drew pushback from one industry group, NetChoice, which said it would make political abuse more likely.")

The state of play: Some Republicans in the GOP-led Senate now want to reduce the number of regulators overseeing competition in the digital marketplace. A small contingent of House Democrats wants to create a new federal enforcer to police online privacy. But a vast majority of the discussions happening on Capitol Hill around those issues have so far focused on ways to empower the FTC, not downgrade it.

Mike Hopkins, chairman of Sony Pictures Television, is joining Amazon as a senior vice president overseeing Amazons Prime video platform and movie and television studios.

AB 5 blow: Uber and Postmates on Monday lost the first round in their challenge to Californias new worker classification law, POLITICO reports.

Uber IPO fallout: As tax season begins, some of Uber's earliest employees are realizing they had little idea how their stock grants worked and are now grappling with the fallout on their tax bills after last May's disappointing IPO, Protocol reports.

JEDI latest: Amazon wants Trump and Defense Secretary Mark Esper to testify in its lawsuit against the Pentagon over the award of the multibillion-dollar JEDI cloud computing contract to Microsoft, POLITICO reports.

ICYMI: Federal prosecutors announced charges Monday against four Chinese intelligence officers for hacking the credit-reporting giant Equifax in one of the largest data breaches in history, POLITICO reports.

Facebook ad tracker: New Hampshire saw more than $1 million in Facebook spending in the month leading up to todays presidential primary, Zach Montellaro reports for Pros.

Can privacy be a piece of cake?: A privacy app called Jumbo presents a startling contrast to the maze of privacy controls presented by companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google, Protocol reports heres how it works, and how it plans turn a buck.

Virus watch: Following Amazons lead, Sony and NTT are pulling out of this months Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as a precaution during the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reports.

In profile: Zapata Computing, a startup that creates software for quantum computers by avoiding as much as possible actually using a quantum machine, Protocol reports.

Out today: Alexis Wichowski, New York Citys deputy chief technology director and a professor at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs, is out today with The Information Trade: How Big Tech Conquers Countries, Challenges Our Rights, and Transforms Our World, a book published by HarperCollins.

Tips, comments, suggestions? Send them along via email to our team: Bob King (bking@politico.com, @bkingdc), Mike Farrell (mfarrell@politico.com, @mikebfarrell), Nancy Scola (nscola@politico.com, @nancyscola), Steven Overly (soverly@politico.com, @stevenoverly), John Hendel (jhendel@politico.com, @JohnHendel), Cristiano Lima (clima@politico.com, @viaCristiano), Alexandra S. Levine (alevine@politico.com, @Ali_Lev), and Leah Nylen (lnylen@politico.com, @leah_nylen).

TTYL.

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For the tech world, New Hampshire is anyone's race - Politico

February 11, 2020

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has granted its most prestigious award in support of junior faculty, theFaculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, to several University of Rochester researchers this year.

The NSF CAREER award is given to promising scientists early in their careers and recognizes outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research. The award also comes with a federal grant toward their research and education activities.

Pierre Gourdain, an assistant professor of physics, will study the formation and evolution of plasma jets found around black holes, by conducting scaled-down experiments in the laboratory. Although scientists cannot see black holes directly, they can observe from Earth the plasma jets that black holes produce, which span thousands of light years. Better understanding the mechanisms behind jet formation and acceleration will allow scientists to use the data of the jets dynamics and chemical composition to determine a black holes mass and the type of matter it interacts with. Gourdains award will support his research in studying these mechanisms in the laboratory using scaled-down versions of astrophysical jets generated by the High Amperage Driver for Extreme States (HADES) at the Universitys Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). HADES will form inch-long plasma jets traveling at 50 miles per seconds and will measure plasma properties that will then be used in plasma models. This research will allow astrophysicists to more precisely determine the mass of a black hole, giving them a better grasp of the distribution of dark matter throughout the Universe. Read more about Gourdains project here.

John Nichol, an assistant professor of physics, will study non-equilibrium quantum physics. His research project will focus on phenomena in objects that do not reach thermal equilibrium with their surroundings, such as an imaginary coffee cup that stays hot forever. This research has applications in fields such as high-temperature superconductivity and quantum computing. Another component of Nichols award is developing interactive, week-long courses in experimental physics for middle- and high-school students during the summer and workshops during the school year. These programs will include outreach efforts to involve more women and underrepresented minorities in physics. Nichol will also develop a quantum technology course for undergraduates and is mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in state-of-the-art quantum nanotechnology. Read more about Nichols project here.

William Renninger, an assistant professor of optics, studies the interaction between photonsthe elementary particles of lasers and other forms of lightand phonons, the basic units of acoustic waves caused by vibrating materials. Renningers CAREER award will support his research in coupling light waves and acoustic waves for optomechanical applicationssuch as improving the performance of radio-frequency signal processors in the near term, opening up new possibilities for controlling quantum information in the future, and perhaps even enabling the detection of dark matter. One goal of his project is to explore how acoustic waves could improve the filters used for controlling radio-frequency information carried in optical fibers, increasing the resolution of the information transmitted, and the speed and efficiency of doing so. The award also includes funding to create open source access to information for designing and creating advanced lasers sources generating femtosecond pulses, which are essential tools for time-resolved measurements, biomedical imaging, optogenetics, spectroscopy, distance measurements and more. Read more about Renningers project here.

Stephen Wu, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, will study two-dimensional (2D) materialsas thin as a single layer of atoms. These materials can undergo remarkable transformations when they are stretched and pulled, such as being superconducting one moment to nonconducting the next. Wu will explore these changes when they occur in transistor-scale device platforms, in ways that could transform electronics, optics, computing, and a host of other technologies. For example, researchers are reaching the limits at which the electronic transistors used in computing can be scaled down in size to achieve ever faster, more enhanced performance. Last year, Wus lab demonstrated how using a thin film of two-dimensional molybdenum ditelluride in a device platform performed the same functions as a traditional transistor with far less power consumption, less leakage of current, yet is configured to easily adapt for current electronics. One goal of Wus project is to expand this straintronic concept to higher-endurance, higher-yield operations as well as adding new phases to control. Wus award also includes reaching out to students traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields by connecting with the Eastman School of Music. Examples of activities include running summer educational courses in music and electronics where local 7th to 12th grade students could create unconventional instruments that could be played in live performances. Read more about Wus project here.

NSF CAREER awards provide researchers with five years of funding to help lay the foundation for their future research. But innovative ways to integrate research with the education of students is also a key part of the CAREER program, which recognizes junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Tags: announcement, Arts and Sciences, award, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Institute of Optics, John Nichol, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, National Science Foundation, Pierre Gourdain, research funding, Stephen Wu, William Renninger

Category: University News

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Rochester scientists receive NSF CAREER awards - University of Rochester

Buried within the 13,000-odd words of the Union Budget speech on Saturday was a paragraph that set aside 8,000 crore over five years for the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications. Most commentators seem to have either missed or overlooked this budgetary allocation, but in terms of significance, the implications are well worth considering.

More than two years ago, the department of science and technology launched the Quantum-Enabled Science and Technology (QuEST) programme with an aim to develop technical capacity within the country to build quantum computers and communications systems comparable with the best in the world. The first phase of the project was to build the infrastructure and acquire human resources to develop physical and computation structures for improving precision in quantum measurement. The eventual goal is to build quantum computers domestically.

Though the allocation in this years budget is clearly part of a long-term national strategy, I cannot help wonder whether it is, at least in some small measure, a response to Googles recent announcement that it had achieved quantum supremacy"the ability to perform a calculation on a quantum computer that is impossible on a conventional computer. And the fear that we might, once again, be falling behind.

As much as I enjoy science, quantum mechanics gives me a headache. Quantum computing is an order of magnitude more perplexing. Ordinary computers function using binary logic gates that can be either off or on. This is why classical computers store information in bitseither as a 0 or 1. On the other hand, quantum computers can store information as both a 0 and a 1 at the same time using a quantum property called superposition. This means that with two quantum bits (or qubits), information can be stored in four possible states of superposition, and as more qubits are added, the computational power grows exponentially.

While this gives us more computing power, quantum computers are error-prone. The quantum state is delicate. It lasts for a fraction of a second and is easily disrupted by tiniest of vibrations or variations in temperature. This noise" in calculations causes mistakes to occur, and unless we can make them sufficiently error-free, quantum computing will not be commercially viable. Googles breakthrough was to achieve sufficient control over the process to allow its experimental computer to outperform a traditional computer. As a result, its computer could solve in 200 seconds what would take the worlds fastest supercomputer 10,000 years.

We still have a long way to go before quantum computing becomes commercially viable, but there is reason for urgency. As soon as quantum computing becomes commercially viable, much of what we take for granted today will become irrelevant.

Take encryption, for example. Almost all digital security today is based on the RSA algorithm that encrypts messages by relying on the factorization of two large prime numbers. While it is easy to multiply two prime numbers, it is very difficult to factorize them. RSA encryption exploits this feature, making it impossible for even governments and private actors with near infinite computational resources to decrypt messages. This is why we have the confidence to store valuable information in encrypted archives on the cloud, secure in the knowledge that even the largest corporations and most technologically advanced governments dont have the computational capability to decrypt these databases and access the information stored inside.

Once quantum computers are capable of being used for decryption, the computational hurdles of prime number factorization that we now rely on will become trivial to overcome. Shors algorithm already describes a process by which quantum computers could be used find the prime factors of any integer. In 2001, IBM proved that this algorithm works by using a 7 qubit computer to factorize the number 15 into 5 and 3. Googles Sycamore processor harnessed 53 qubits in its latest experiment, demonstrating that much higher computational capabilities are already within our grasp. Once our quantum computers have reached a sufficiently advanced level of stability, even the highest encryption known to man will be easy to defeat.

When that happens, cyber security as we know it will be a thing of the past. All the secure data services that we rely on will be thrown wide open, allowing anyone with a quantum computer to easily access the information within. Given the imminence of major breakthroughs in quantum computing, it is rumoured that there is already an underground market for encrypted data in anticipation of a time when all this information can be decrypted and the secrets of famous personalities can be exposed.

In the war for quantum supremacy, it is those who can understand and use the fundamental technologies behind quantum computing who will emerge dominant. In the not-so-distant future, the world will be divided into the quantum haves and have-nots. It is imperative that India makes every effort to stay in the game if it is to have any hope of remaining relevant. If we are to retain any measure of technological independence, we will need to ramp up our research in quantum computing and actively invest in the development of indigenous quantum computational capabilities.

Rahul Matthan is a partner at Trilegal and author of Privacy 3.0: Unlocking Our Data Driven Future

Continued here:
Opinion | Prepare for a world of quantum haves and have-nots - Livemint

IBM inventors received 9,262 U.S. patents in 2019, achieving a milestone of most patents ever awarded to a U.S. company, and marking the company's 27thconsecutive year of U.S. patent leadership.

In 2019,IBM led the industryin the number of U.S. patents granted across key technology areas such as AI, blockchain, cloud computing, quantum computing and security.

In 2019, according toIFI CLAIMS Patent Services,provider of a global patent data platform, U.S. patent filings hit an all-time high with 333,530 patents granted, representing an unprecedented 15% increase from 2018.

IBM was awarded more than 1,800 AI patents, including a method for teaching AI systems how to understand and deduce the nuances and implications behind certain text or phrases of speech by analyzing other related content.

IBM also led in the number of blockchain patents granted, which includes several patents for improving the security of blockchain networks. One patented technique would help in resisting "replay attacks," where an attacker copies and uses signature information from one transaction on a blockchain to later perform other transactions on the blockchain that are not authorized.

IBM inventors were granted more than 2,500 patents in cloud technology, including a patent for a method to jointly manage cloud and non-cloud computing platforms. Working with a unified portal, this technique receives, organizes and streamlines incoming cloud and non-cloud tasks and requests, which could help organizations easily migrate to hybrid cloud platforms.

IBM's quantum computing program continued to grow in 2019. Quantum computing innovations by IBM included a method to scale a quantum computer to support additional qubits, as well as enabling a breakthrough approach for simulating molecules.

Read more:
IBM Tops U.S. Patent List for 2019 With Innovations in AI, Blockchain, Cloud and Quantum Computing - Database Trends and Applications

With a huge focus on Internet of things (IoT), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics, India Inc believes that the budget will provide a boost to the countrys digital economy

We present below some industry reactions from different firms:

Ashwin Kumar, Director, Data Centre and Cloud Operations, Linode IndiaWith a focus on technology and innovation, Budget 2020 sets the foundation for Indias future. The allocation of INR 3000 crore for skills development will help bridge a sizable technological skills gap in the country and enhance the global competitiveness of small and mid-size businesses throughout the country, which today employ 40 percent of Indias total workforce and contribute nearly 30 percent to the Indias economy. We welcome all efforts that positively drive the key levers of modern business innovation, growth and efficiency.

Sunil Sharma, managing director sales, Sophos India & SAARCThe Governments Union Budget 2020 is built on the bedrock of emerging technologies including Artifical Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT) and more. Initiatives such as building data center parks across India aiming to safeguard data, the most critical asset of organisations along with the digitisation of 100,000 Gram panchayat through its Bharatnet initiative will strengthen the digital fabric of the country. However, increased digital penetration brings along with it cybersecurity risks. As per a recent report, Indian IT managers detected 39% of threats on servers, 35% on the network, 8% on endpoints and 18% on mobile. Additionally, 90% of IT managers believe cybersecurity awareness and education among employees is a major challenge for organisations. That said, while we welcome the Governments proposed steps in strengthening the MSMEs that provide employment to millions of people, we need more impetus on building skilled cybersecurity professionals in the country. The governments allocation of Rs. 3,000 crore towards skill development is a step in the right direction towards building Indias youth and economy. Sunil Sharma, managing director sales, Sophos India & SAARC

Hemal Gathani, Co-founder of Zeux InnovationTwo messages stand out from todays Union Budget address for companies like us. One, the commitment being demonstrated by the Government to emerging technologies and initiatives being taken to improve the ecosystem be it in terms of setting knowledge or technology clusters or announcing a National Mission on Quantum Technologies. Having relocated from US to start a company here, we are thrilled with the governments resolve on this issue. Two, trying to do their bit in creating more stable start-ups by resolving issues such as tax relaxation on ESOPs. Although much more is still to be done jumpstart the economy, but steps such as these will surely help stem the fall and lay new ground for growth.

Government is walking the talk to make India a leading startup hub in the world. Government has announced numerous benefits for all the key stakeholders in the startup space Employees, Investors & Promoters etc. This will go a long way to make India the preferred destination for startups.

Sandeep Bhambure, Vice President and Managing Director, India & SAARC, VeeamThe governments announcement of setting up a policy to build data centre parks throughout India for digital connectivity and the allocation of Rs 6,000 crores for BharatNet is a big step towards a successful Digital India initiative. This will increase the adoption of technologies such as IoT, Analytics and AI; leading to an unprecedented amount of data generation. Data management and protection will play a key role to safeguard the citizens data from cyber-breaches. Additionally, the implementation of intelligent data management platforms will help achieve positive outcomes from the data.

Yadvendra Tyagi, Co-Founder of EnKashBudget 2020-21 has been extremely startup-friendly on various accounts, including the fact that turnover limit for a company to qualify as a Startup and enjoy special tax benefits has been generously raised to 100 Crores, from the previous 25 crores. The budget has also met the expectations of Startups with respect to the lowered corporate tax rate of 22% being maintained. This has a direct bearing on a business like ours, as it will restore the spending/purchasing capacity of businesses, especially the MSMEs to some extent, which is one of our key value propositions at EnKash (We offer Corporate Cards designed especially for Startups, called Freedom Card). For growth stage startups that are currently in the process of raising funds or in talks with foreign investors, the governments proposition to eliminate Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) will be an impetus for investment and the consequent scale-up. Additionally, the audit threshold for MSMEs that has been raised to Rs. 5 Crores from Rs. 1Cr is also going to be a huge enablement for young businesses, and we welcome this move with open arms.

Relief in personal income tax rate across the board too is a historic step towards the revival of Indias economy at a time when the whole country, i.e. both businesses and individuals have been facing financial strain. Other initiatives such as deferring ESOP taxation to 5 years is also going enable young business to continue offering stock options to deserving team members without them having to worry about selling the shares immediately. Finally, streamlining GST infrastructure and introducing automated processes as promised, will help ensure tax compliances for companies that operate with limited resources.

Naveen Chava, CEO, IDSignWith todays union budget themed around three strong aspects- Aspirational India, Economic Development and Caring Society, the Government of India has reassured its promise in promoting the Indian startup ecosystem for a vibrant and inclusive economy. The proposals aimed at bringing fundamental structural reforms and digital governance such as setting up investment advisory cell online to help young entrepreneurs with faster clearance and launch of seed fund to support early-stage startups come as a major booster for the sector. The decision to relax much-awaited Esops is a laudable move which will now help startups to attract new talent pool. Additionally, the allocation of 3000 crore for development of skill India programme testifies the governments urge to embrace the proliferation of future-readying technologies- Analytics, IoT, AI Quantum Computing and so on among rural youths to make them part of digital India. Also, the governments step to mandate aadhaar-based verification on indirect taxes would certainly widen lucrative business opportunities for companies like us operating in the area of digital signing and verification management

Leon Yu, Regional Head, India & South Asia, Asus

At Asus, we believe that the Union Budget 2020 announcement has covered several pressing issues faced by the economy and is going to bring growth opportunities. All eyes would be on the manufacturing sector, with the FM proposing a scheme to encourage mobile phones, semiconductor packaging, and electronic equipment. The new scheme, Nirvik, is also going to offer respite for exporters, promising to settle refunds for electricity and VAT previously levied. Furthermore, the provision to bring digital connectivity to all public institutions at Gram Panchayat and allocation of INR 6,000Cr to bring fibre to home through BharatNet linking 100,000 Gram Panchayats in FY21 are also welcomed moves.

With Indias rising aspirations reaching the rural locales, internet connectivity will pave the way for connected and smart consumerism. At Asus, we shall be pursuing ways to support the government in enriching Indias economy and traversing through rural India to ensure optimum growth and development. We also look forward to the policy on private players setting up data parks and shall be offering full support with our cutting-edge products and services

Bhavin Turakhia, Founder & CEO, FlockWe are delighted with the steps taken by the Government in the Union Budget towards providing an impetus to entrepreneurship and acknowledging that startups are major job creators. This year, the budget has allocated Rs. 3,000 crore for skill development, which will help in creating a future-ready workforce. The provision for setting up an investment clearance cell for entrepreneurs, an online portal to facilitate quicker business clearances, and a seed fund to support early-stage startups will all collectively attract foreign investment in Indian startups. At present, startup employees are required to pay tax whenever they sign up for ESOPs with a vesting schedule and also pay taxes on capital gains whenever they redeem their ESOPs. As a provisionary measure to this, the minister has proposed deferring the tax payment by five years, or until employees leave the company, or when they sell their shareswhichever is earlier. Additionally, we welcome the governments move towards boosting emerging technologies such as internet of things (IoT), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics which will provide a filip to the countrys digital economy. We believe that with all of these measures, 2020 will be a great year for the Indian startup ecosystem.

Shashank Dixit, CEO, DeskeraThere are 3 key takeaways from the Union Budget 2020 for ease of doing business and the startup community. 1. The simplified GST return system scheduled to be launched in April20 will reduce the compliance burden on SMEs. 2. The threshold for audit being raised from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 5 crores will further provide a fillip to Indian SMEs. 3. With the abolishment of Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT), it is sure to make India an attractive investment destination

Kunal Lakhara, VP of Finance and Operations, Pocket AcesBudget 2020s revised fiscal deficit target of 3.8% of the GDP seems more realistic and focus on spends/ benefits was required to boost the economy. The thrust on entrepreneurship and tax regulations for both, startups and taxpayers is a move in the right direction. India is the third largest startup hub globally and the announcement of an investment clearance cell to provide end-to-end support to startup founders will encourage more youth to be job creators. Further, the ability to defer taxes on ESOPs will democratise wealth creation for startup employees, ensuring the right talent is benefitted. Finally, the decision to grant 100% tax exemptions to sovereign wealth funds on their investment in priority sectors will provide the much needed funding boost to the sector and create value in the longer run.

Redickaa Subrammanian, Co-founder and CEO, ResulticksDigital disruption has transformed Indias business landscape and the announcement for building more data center parks will further aid in laying a strong foundation for a digitally connected country. INR 8000 crore allotment for developing quantum technology is impressive, and this in tandem with the grassroots level skilling initiatives, make for a strong technology ecosystem. Engineering students will also gain real-world experience through the new internship programs, creating a digitally skilled talent pool equipped to work in a digital economy.

As a fast growing AI and ML based technology start-up, we welcome setting up of the investment clearance cell. The proposed revisions in the income tax structure should lead to increased consumer demand and provide an overall impetus for economic growth in India. The announcement made in Budget 2020 showcases the governments support for Indias technological advancement and we are excited about the entrepreneurial spirit it promotes

Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer IndiaThis is positive budget overall from the technology focus point of view. We are pleased that the Government is allocating Rs. 8,000 crore for the National Mission on Quantum Computing and Technology. The governments move on encouraging manufacturing of electronic equipment in India is also a big step as this would provide much needed impetus to technology and manufacturing sector, which has been developing capacities and generating employment opportunities. Also, more focus on technology such as Machine Learning, Robotics, AI will support the industry to grow and establish India as a robust ecosystem for technology and innovation

Vamsi Krishna, CEO & Co-founder, VedantuThe vision of making education accessible to the farthest corner of the country will greatly benefit students. The allocation of budget to hone the skill sets of teachers and educators will positively impact quality learning and thereby provide a boost to the education sector. Additionally, the allocation of budget to BharatNet will also have a deep impact on skilling rural India as it has the potential to open up online learning to students and professionals from remote villages. With better bandwidth internet, a qualified teacher located in a metro city can impart LIVE online classes to students in small town India, where theres a dearth of quality education. Technology will soon disrupt the entire concept of the classroom and make it an extremely personalized, one to one teaching-learning experience tailored for each mind.

Mitesh Shah, Head Finance, BookMyShowAt the onset, we would like to laud the Government for a growth-driven budget. We welcome the progressive policies aimed at encouraging rural demand, changes in personal taxes to spur consumption, impetus to infrastructure development, measures aimed at bolstering growth and reversing slowdown. Additionally, taxation related to ESOPs as a perquisite and removal of DDT are significant moves. However, it would have been beneficial to have the benefits of taxation relief on ESOPs expanded to companies and industries at various stage of growth and not be limited to startups alone.

Compliance on e-commerce has been increased by mandating them to deduct a TDS of 1% on all goods and services sold on e-commerce platforms. This would be in addition to TCS under GST and this amendment might further increase the cost of compliance for e-commerce companies. The governments vision to build data centre parks, allocation towards quantum computing and its focus on using artificial intelligence in statistical and other government departments will take Indias growth story to the next level and help further the Digital India dream.

Manish Mishra, Partner, J. Sagar AssociatesBudget focusses on providing impetus to domestic industry by rationalizing Customs duty exemptions, and levying duties on import of goods for specific industries which are focused on Make in India including increase on customs duties on electric vehicles. Government has taken steps to ensure measures to curb abuse of benefits available under the preferential / free trade agreements harming the domestic players. Keeping this theme in mind safeguard duty and anti-dumping duty has also been imposed on specific sectors.

Health cess of 5% in the nature of customs duty has been levied on import of specified medical devices with immediate effect.

From a GST perspective, given that GST Council along with the government has been taking steps to improvise implementation and administration of GST on an ongoing basis, no surprises or key amendments have been made to the GST legislation. Amendments for extending composition scheme to services sector and in the transition provisions for enabling the government to prescribe time limit for claiming unclaimed credits under the erstwhile regime is a positive step by the government

Yashash Agarwal, CEO, GamezopFMs proposal of delaying tax collection on the exercise of ESOPs is a welcome move. The current structure looks to collect taxes too early causing employees to not exercise vested shares. Easing direct taxation for eligible startups will encourage businesses to chase the right metrics and not just growth at the by bleeding money. The definition of eligible startups must be broadened to bring more companies in this fold.

Rakesh Kharwal, Managing Director, India/South Asia & ASEAN, CyberbitThe government has highlighted the role of digital technologies like analytics, IoT, AI, and quantum technology during this Budget Session. The burgeoning digital infrastructure of India needs a strong cybersecurity framework to support it. Now, since it has allocated Rs. 99,300 crores to the education sector and Rs. 3,000 crores for skill development itself, a good way to realize Indias digital vision could be by working on the cybersecurity front from the very beginning. The government may want to cover its tech initiatives with avant-garde simulation-based cybersecurity training platforms like Cyber Range for proposed cyber forensic university and Skill India campaign. This will help India in generating millions of jobs for the youth and also strengthening national security

Sanjay Katkar, Joint Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer, Quick Heal Technologies LimitedFor cyber forensics University One major step announced by the FM involved the proposal for establishing a national forensic university and cyber forensic university. With cyber crimes increasing at a rapid rate, the need for cyber forensics has become more important than ever for a rapidly digitising country like India. The setting up of a cyber forensics university is a welcome move from the Government. This will definitely help in improving Indias expertise to solve complex cyber crimes

Mike Chen, General Manager, TCLAt TCL, we believe that the Finance Minister has announced an encouraging Union Budget 2020. Proposing the scheme to encourage the manufacturing of mobile phones, semiconductor packaging and electronic equipment is a welcomed move and we look forward to a complete policy and leveraging the same to kickstart the domestic manufacturing through our panel factory in Tirupati. Furthermore, painting a futuristic picture in this years budget announcement, the FM also acknowledged advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and analytics changing the world. At TCL, we are forever committed to advancing our AI x IoT ecosystem in India and will continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies to offer the best services to our customers in India.

Rahul Sharma, MD-India, LogMeInBudget 2020 looks very promising. We are particularly enthused about the FMs announcement of seamless delivery of digital services as part of the next wave of digital revolution. AI, ML, Analytics, IoT, Robotics are making giant inroads in India, as was observed in the budget. The policy being introduced to build data centre parks throughout the country will help enhance the digital infrastructure to a significant extent. We are looking forward to the next phase of Digital India which will be a big growth driver for businesses and individuals alike.

Aakrit Vaish, CEO, HaptikAs digitization and advanced technologies continue to gain momentum, we welcome the Budget 2020 announcements. Once again, the Finance Ministers emphasis on machine learning, robotics, AI and IoT will help boost Indias digital journey. A significant proportion from the allocation of INR 3000cr for skill development should focus on these cutting-edge technologies. We are also delighted to witness proposals such as the linking of 100,000 Gram Panchayats through the enhancement of Bharat Net and setting up of data centre parks across the country. As national systems become more sophisticated and our workforce is equipped with the relevant skills, we will truly see the next wave of digital revolution, with greater scope for large-scale indigenous innovation

Suganthi Shivkumar, Managing Director, ASEAN, India & Korea, QlikWe appreciate the governments decision in the 2020 Budget to dedicate the necessary funds and resources towards developing revolutionary and breakthrough technologies such as ML, robotics and AI to further the skills that will prepare us for the next wave and accelerate Indias journey towards becoming a digital giant. With data equated as the new oil, the governments plan of building cutting-edge data parks across the country is equally important. Furthermore, the governments initiative of allocating Rs 6000 crores to enable unabridged digital connectivity in over 100,000 Gram Panchayats through the Fiber to Home BharatNet scheme holds brilliant potential in securing Indias passage towards achieving tech-empowerment for the remote sector.

Piyush Kumar, Founder & CEO, RooterIts very encouraging to see that Indian Government regards entrepreneurship as strength of India. Start-ups can not only get a lot of foreign investment in India but also create thousands of jobs. The investment clearance and advisory cell for entrepreneurs is a great step to encourage new entrepreneurs and provide assistance. Moreover, the seed fund to support early-stage start-ups will help them to create quality market fit product before approaching VCs

Akash Gupta, Founder and CEO Zypp (Earlier known as Mobycy)The Union Budget 2020 paints an affirmative picture for the future. We are glad that the Finance Minister has emphasised on improving the air quality, citing that the matter of clean air is a matter of concern in large cities that have a population of over 1 million. To the same end, we believe that EV-powered everyday commuting solutions offered by Zypp through Electric Scooters and Logistics solutions will play a crucial role in times to come. The budget announcement further comprises positive news for Indias fast-growing start-ups. The proposal to set-up investment clearance cell for entrepreneurs along with assistance in funding would definitely prove to be extremely beneficial. Furthermore, increasing the threshold of start-ups eligible for tax deduction from an annual turnover of 25Cr to now up to 100Cr is another welcomed move. The FM has also increased the window for such start-ups to claim a tax deduction for 3 years out of 10 years now as compared to 7 years previously. Owing to the same, the start-ups will find it easier to take risks and not be burdened financially while pursuing trailblazing innovations. Deferring ESOPs for start-up employees is another affirmative move, giving employees of start-ups to postpone taxation for 5 years or whenever they exit the venture, whichever is earlier.

Ambika Sharma, Managing Director & Founder, Pulp StrategyThe latest budget announcement for the year 2020 -21 bears vast potential in shaping Indias road towards achieving its target of emerging as a 5 trillion dollar economy. With India currently posed as the fifth largest economy in the world, I am particularly enthralled by the governments decision to optimize new-age disruptive technologies such as Machine Learning, robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) towards attaining a seamless and integrated service sector. Further advancing the digital revolution in the country is the governments resolution of developing state-of-the-art data centers across the nation. Moreover, the FMs proposal to allocate Rs 6000 crore for connecting 100,000 Gram Panchayats by FY21 will also prove instrumental in accelerating Indias journey towards becoming a tech enabled nation. Also admirable is the governments successful implementation of the Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao scheme which was reflected by the high gross enrollment of girls in all levels of school education. With the budget modeled towards realizing a progressive and equal women-centric society, the Finance minister also highlighted the fact that presently more than 6 lakh Anganwadi workers are equipped to upload status of more than 10 crore households. The governments decision to provide Rs 35,600 crore for nutrition related programs and Rs 28,600 crores for women linked programmes will vastly help in furthering women empowerment and gender equality

Abhishek Kumar, Regional Director, Onvu TechThis years budget includes a number of positive reforms for the surveillance and security agency. The government has announced the launch of Police Academy and Forensic Sciences, 5 more smart cities, 9,000 KMs of economic corridor, enhancement of tourist attractions, and improved business landscape for MSMEs alongside others. Security and Surveillance infrastructure is a core element of all of these reforms and will give a strong stimulus to the segment

Abhishek Kumar, Regional Director, Onvu TechThe government has announced a number of measures for the education sector with a whopping Rs. 99,300 crore budget. With it, courses will go online soon and Top-100 NIRF Ranked Institutes start offering them. The government has also announced positive reforms including Asian-African Study in India program, establishment of Police Academy and Forensic Science, and integration of medical institutes with dist. hospitals. Rs. 3000 crores have further been allocated for Skill Development. Perhaps, all of these reforms will go a long way by including video-analytics-based EdTech solutions to them as well

Raman Singh, Chief revenue officer, Cloud ConnectAt CloudConnect, we wholeheartedly believe that the progress of the country lies in creating more opportunities for start-up owners. Thus, we duly welcome the decisions taken by FM Nirmala Sitharaman through the Union Budget 2020. She has rightly mentioned that entrepreneurship is the true spirit of India and has been its strength.We appreciate the governments emphasis on promoting cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, robotics and AI in India. The commitment to tech-advancement to support entrepreneurship is evident in the governments decision of building data center parks throughout the country and proposing INR 8,000Cr for over 5 years for the National Mission of Quantum Technology and Application.

Finally, the setting up of investment clearance cells and portals for entrepreneurs in order to assist them in funding will give a significant boost to entrepreneurship in India.

Ravi Goyal, Chairman & MD, AGS Transact Technologies LtdThe removal of dividend distribution tax will reassure the flow of FDI and make Indian equities more attractive. This years budget focused on entrepreneurship and early stage start-ups and the FM has provided a series of measures, that will encourage Indian start-ups whilst focusing on positioning entrepreneurs as job creators. The overall focus on boosting transport infrastructure will help pursue greater commercialization of highways to raise finance operating road assets. Recent developments to promote digital payments such as zero MDR are pre budget announcements and there was an expectation of a clear roadmap from the government on supporting digital payments infrastructure given the sector will be a major catalyst towards achieving the $5.5 trillion target.

Forward Looking Budget Focused on Technology and Infrastructure: IAMAI

New Delhi, 01 February 2020: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has welcomed the positive outlook on the digital industry and the push to improve digital infrastructure. IAMAI believes the announcement made by the Honourable Minister of Finance Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman will promote entrepreneurship, and will boost investments. Subho Ray, President, IAMAI said: The focus on Technology and Digital Infrastructure is a step towards realizing the trillion-dollar economy and will open up new opportunities for demand generation.

According to IAMAI, the vision to provide digital connectivity to all public institutions at gram panchayat level in FY 21, is ambitious and will usher in the much-needed digital revolution under the Digital India initiative, and will also help in the last mile connectivity. This will also bridge the Rural-Urban digital divide, and will open avenues to jobs and employment creation. According to IAMAI, the budget duly acknowledges the positive role of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, Quantum Computing, in the new world economy.

IAMAI has also welcomed the finance ministers proposal for promoting the manufacturing of mobile phones, electronics, and semiconductor packaging in the country. In her speech the minister said that India needs to boost domestic manufacturing and attract investment in electronics manufacturing.

IAMAI has maintained that India should focus on attracting large-scale manufacturing and enhance local value integration, and also rapidly capture the markets for high-end smartphones. According to IAMAI, Government must, therefore, provide both productions-based incentives as well as export-oriented incentives to encourage Indian domestic manufacturing. As the Finance Minister rightly said, There is a cost advantage for electronics manufacturing in India.

IAMAI also welcomed the Ministers assurance that there will be an effort to create more opportunities for startup owners. The proposal to set up of Investment clearance cell for entrepreneurs and offering assistance in funding is a welcome move.

IAMAI has also welcomed the plan to provide online quality education to deprived section of society. The association feels that the step will provide the much-needed fillip to the online education sector and will also help in providing quality education in the rural areas.

Priya Mahajan, Head of APAC Public Policy & Regulatory Counsel, Verzion Enterprise SolutionsThe Union Budget 2020, is encouraging , forward looking and would ensure the necessary boost to the Digital India Vision. The Budget duly recognises the transformational impact of emerging technologies such as AI, IOT, Big data, Cybersecurity, ML and Robotics on the economy . The digital growth momentum is steered further and India definitely has a key role to play in the global economy and future of technology and innovation. We believe that India has a unique success story and a step towards being a global technology leader. This budget definitely favours new age digital economy and we look forward to further growth in the sector

Nikhil Arora, VP and MD, GoDaddy IndiaThe Union Budget 2020 is a reflection of the Government of Indias vision and commitment towards delivering an inclusive growth. The proposed reforms especially those focused towards MSMEs and startups such as provision of seed funding for early-stage startups and setting up of a portal based investment clearing cell, will further help to bolster growth of independent ventures in India. Big announcements like deferred payment of ESOPs, as well as the creation of an e-market place for MSMEs, are also laudable steps by the Government towards uplifting the overall entrepreneurial spirit in the country. We also believe that the proposed allocation of INR 99,300 for education and the allocation of INR 3000 for skilling initiatives, can be instrumental in delivering better educational infrastructure and innovation. As India gears up to chart the next chapter in its strong growth story, we at GoDaddy continue to work in collaboration with the Government and our partner ecosystem, to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their ventures online, with our easy-to-use and affordable tools and solutions

Prasanna Sarambale, CEO, Sterling & Wilson, Data Centre BusinessThe Union Budget 2020, is extremely encouraging and would ensure the necessary boost to the economy. For the first time Data centres have been given due importance. As technology leads the next level of growth for the country, the governments move to focus on building the necessary back end infrastructure (via construction of new Data centre parks through the country) will ensure the GDP gets the necessary shot in the arm that the country is looking forward too. The impetus planned by the government will ensure long term sustainable growth not only for the sector but also the country. Development of smart cities will need smart data centres, which is a huge opportunity for the sector, this move will also ensure jobs creation and boost to local consumption. This will act as a catalyst in the development of individual states

Jitendra Chaddah, Chairman, IESAThe vision for the semiconductor and electronics industry in the budget speech is encouraging. We feel this interim budget by Finance Minister is progressive and inclusive. It focuses on leveraging new technologies to build countrywide digital infrastructure, skill-building and drives growth by providing cost benefits for electronics manufacturing in India. The scheme to boost the intelligent electronics & semiconductor ecosystem by the manufacturing of mobile phones, semiconductor packaging and electronic equipment, assures more investment. We foresee the sustained incentives by the government to promote local manufacturing will fulfil local demand and also enable India to become an export hub for electronics

Sudhindra Holla, Director, Axis Communications, India and SAARCThe budget set by the Finance Minister is focusing directly on three factors, namely Aspirational India, Economic Development, and a Caring Society. Delving into these three aspects, it has kept a keen eye on improving the transport and infrastructure by allocating Rs 1.75 lakh crore for these sectors. Furthermore, we support the keenness to develop more smart cities by allotting 5 new smart cities under the PPP model. With 100 new operational airports and high-speed trains both the aviation and railways will now see redevelopment programs to enhance the passenger travel experience. The idea of 100% exemption for sovereign wealth funds in infrastructure and other notified sectors with a minimum lock-in of three years is welcoming. We view it as a definite budget for the corporates who are driving the countrys growth and infrastructure development in both Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities

Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed IndiaData from Indeed reveals that technology-related job roles in India are among the most promising for job seekers, as these job openings have grown consistently in the past five years. Last year alone saw tech job roles grow by 31%. Despite ups and downs, hiring is stabilizing as companies shift gears to skill their workforce. The proposition to provide internship opportunities for young engineers at urban local bodies is a very good move in helping young talent make good use of their qualification and scale from there.The onus of creating a culture of learnability and skilling that can ensure sustained employment is now shifting to the industry. Companies need to invest strongly in L&D initiatives that can help their employees stay industry relevant in the race to profitability. In fact this could be a positive move towards employee loyalty and retention that can in-turn help organisations find sustainable growth

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Budget 2020: Focus on AI, ML, IoT and Quantum Computing will provide a boost to digital economy - Express Computer