CII summit flags need for better regional connectivity to boost devpt
Delivering the keynote address, New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) chairman Venkata Ramana Akkaraju said even after 75 years of Independence, connectivity from the rest of Karnataka to the west of the state has not improved, hindering the progress of the coastal districts.
"Infrastructure, connectivity, and GDP growth are complementary to each other. Udupi and Dakshina Kannada contribute Rs 1.2 lakh crore of to the GDP of Karnataka, with per capita income being around Rs 4.92 lakh.
Yet, we have to accept that coastal Karnataka is still missing the bus," he said.
Within the state itself, there have been connectivity issues. Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75 and NH 275 to Mysuru were a work-in-progress for several years, often closed during heavy rains. The Mangaluru-Hassan rail connectivity, too, often gets affected due to heavy showers.
Given such a situation, Mangaluru-Bengaluru airfares have shot up to Rs 10,000.
In spite of the many challenges, NMPA has increased its cargo handling from 34 million tonnes to 46 million tonnes in the past five years, with profit after tax rising from Rs 110 crore to Rs 550 crore.
The port could have handled more than 65 million tonnes of cargo, increasing its profit by an additional Rs 150 crore, had there been adequate connectivity, Akkaraju claimed.
S Selvakumar, the principal secretary in the commerce and industries department, said: "Karnataka ranks No.
1 in per capita gross state domestic product (GSDP) in the country, and No. 2 in foreign direct investment as well as GST contribution."
He added that the state's Industrial Policy 2025-30 is focused on developing world-class infrastructure.
'92% willing to return home'
Suyog Shetty, the CEO of Niveus Solutions, said 92% of the talent that migrated from the coastal region of Karnataka are willing to return home if there are meaningful alternatives.
Speaking on 'Mangaluru as the Next Tech Destination: Leveraging Cloud, Talent, and Innovation' at the CII summit on Thursday, Shetty highlighted the need to engage local talent in the state's development journey.
"If you offer the right opportunity and adequate salary, people will return to Mangaluru," he said.
He said the Karnataka govt's policy, availability of land, and proximity to power sources are very favourable for anyone to set up data centres in Mangaluru.
According to G Sundararaman, the chief scientist and head of Wipro Research, India is in an absolute tech decade with vast opportunities in the semiconductor industry. The cascading effect could be felt in Mangaluru as well, he added.
Underscoring the cost benefits of acquiring office and residential spaces in Mangaluru, Rohith Bhat, the founder of Robosoft, said: "The region has a good ecosystem, with companies referred to as 'talent capitals'. There are several engineering and other colleges around. This massive talent pool allows firms to acquire the best brains from within the region itself."
Suvin Narayan, representing the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, spoke on 'accelerating digital infrastructure in Tier-II cities: KEDM's Vision for Mangaluru'.
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