India Semiconductor Mission: In a major move that could significantly bring down the prices of everyday gadgets like smartphones laptops and PCs the Narendra Modi government has approved an HCL-Foxconn semiconductor joint venture which will set up a wafers manufacturing plant at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh. According to reports the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet on Wednesday approved the countrys sixth semiconductor unit under the ambitious India Semiconductor Mission which aims to position India as a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing. The HCL-Foxconn joint venture will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 3706 crore and the chips manufactured at the Jewar plant will be used to power smartphones laptops automobiles PCs and other electronic gadgets. Five other seminconductor units are already being built in Assam and Gujarat. The proposed HCL-Foxconn semiconductor plant will manufacture display driver chips for mobile phones laptops automobiles and other devices I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the media at a briefing on the decision taken by the Union Cabinet. Vaishnaw said that already there are five semiconductor units are in advanced stages of construction and with the addition of a sixth unit India is well on its way to develop the strategically important semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry is now taking shape across the country. World-class design facilities have come up in many states across the country. State governments are vigorously pursuing design firms the Minister said. As per an official release the Jewar unit will process 20000 wafers per month and create about 2000 jobs