Sharma had earlier served as the additional chief secretary-industries of the Kerala govt from May 2020 to April 2021. From September 2019 to April 2021 Sharma was the Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail as well as CEO of Cochin Smart City Mission.
The Kerala cadre IAS officer, Sharma has his task cut out at MEITY. He will be responsible for smooth implementation of the $10 billion semiconductor incentive scheme to boost chip manufacturing and design facilities in the country.
The recent timelines announced by the Centre to prioritise semiconductor chip manufacturing has sparked-off new excitement among the top technology players.
Sharma will also be required to implement MEITY’s 1,000-day agenda which looks to make India a $1 trillion digital economy over the next few years. Under the programme the Union ministry is tasked to make India the largest connected nation in the world, bringing coherence into digital governance, simplifying rules and legislations for technology and social media companies, and focusing on building India’s high-tech prowess.
Further, there’s a slew of regulatory work that lies ahead for MeitY, especially with regard to the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill and draft non-personal data governance framework. With several organisations raising concerns about the clauses in these regulations, Sharma will have a lot on his plate with respect to assuaging the fears of citizens and industry bodies alike.
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