Mohali, Nov. 29 -- The Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali, is set for a major overhaul with the Centre announcing an investment of Rs.4,500 crore for its modernisation. This significant funding aims to drastically increase SCL's production capacity, targeting a hundred-fold increase in wafers output from its current levels. Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw affirmed during his visit that SCL will be modernised and will not be privatised, ensuring it remains under government control. The Union IT minister, along with Union minister of state Ravneet Singh Bittu, visited SCL on Friday to review the progress of ongoing modernisation activities. The minister inaugurated the new semiconductor process gallery and the Abhyutthanam trainingblock. The process gallery is designed to give students a real-world feel of a semiconductor fabrication (fab) and assembly, testing, marking, and packaging (ATMP) facility, featuring a clean room lab equipped with earlier-generation fabrication tools. Vaishnaw reaffirmed SCL's role as a vital platform for talent development, innovation, and start-ups. The facility's fabrication support is set to increase, furthering its commitment to the semiconductor ecosystem. To facilitate this expansion, the Government of India has formally requested the Punjab government to allot an additional 25 acres of land. During his visit, the minister attended a programme where 28 chips designed by students from 17 academic institutions were officially handed over. These chips were developed using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools provided to students as part of the "chips to start-up (C2S)" programme. With this latest batch, a total of 56 student-designed chips have now been fabricated at SCL under this initiative. SCL Mohali will continue to offer its fabrication facilities to students, researchers, and start-ups, turning their chip designs into real silicon. The minister noted that India's ecosystem, where students from nearly 300 universities are designing chips with world-class EDA tools through government support, is unique globally. Finally, the minister underscored the importance of achieving self-reliance in strategic sectors. He announced plans tobuild a comprehensive ecosystem for indigenous chip development. This initiative will involve a strong consortium featuring organisations like CDAC, DRDO, and others, working collaboratively on the design, product development, and manufacturing of "Swadeshi" (indigenous) chips....