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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
55% employment to Kannadigas in group A, B in all industries: Patil
Dharwad: The state govt is committed ensure employment to Kannadigas in industrial sector and it has brought in a new policy regulating the industries setting up their units in Karnataka to reserve jobs for Kannadigas, said industries minister MB Patil. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking to reporters in Dharwad recently, he said that as per the new policy, the industries have to reserve 55% of jobs for Kannadigas in A and B categories, while the reservation in group C and D is capped at 75%. The industries too have agreed to the concept and hence emphasis has been laid to provide more employment opportunities to Kannadigas, he said. Patil stated that the Global Investors' Meet has been a success. It attracted proposals worth Rs 10 lakh crore. "We expect at least 70% of these proposals turn into a reality and the department is constantly following up with the companies", he added. The govt, in a bid to correct regional imbalance and facilitate setting up of industries in tier-two cities, has launched 'Beyond Bengaluru' scheme. The GIM too has focussed on this policy. 75% of the proposals have been asked to look for land outside Bengaluru and 40% of them in North Karnataka. Therefore, there will be industrial boom in North Karnataka very soon, he added. On FMCG cluster in Hubballi-Dharwad, Patil acknowledged that the land prices have shot up and the govt has nothing to do with it. Many farmers whose lands were identified for acquisition have moved to the courts seeking better compensation. Based on the verdicts of the courts on compensation, the KIADB has fixed the final price. However, the department is in constant touch with firms willing to set up FMCG units, he added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Patil said NIDAC has set up its plant at Belur Industries in Dharwad and the plant has come up with an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore. It will generate 800 direct and 900 indirect employment thus supporting 3,000 families. The company which manufactures batteries and convertors in collaboration with Japan and France has plans to expand its operation and will generate over 4,000 employment in next two years, he said. The product will be exported to US and other countries.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Hidkal dam water sought for beverage industries: Minister Patil
Dharwad: Industries minister MB Patil clarified that release of water from Hidkal dam to Belur Industrial Area in Dharwad has been proposed to support upcoming beverage industries in the industrial estate. Replying to queries from reporters at Dharwad on Monday, Patil said Hidkal dam has a total storage capacity of 51 tmcft, of which 4 tmcft is earmarked for industrial use. Of this, only 0.5 tmcft has been requested to meet the water needs of beverage companies that signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) during the Global Investors' Meet (GIM), he said. Among the key investors, Ceylon Beverages—owned by Sri Lankan cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan—has already commenced construction of its plant. Campa, owned by Reliance Jio, has also proposed to set up a beverage manufacturing unit in the region. Patil emphasised that water is a crucial requirement for these industries, and since Dharwad lacks a major river, the proposal to draw water from Hidkal dam was considered a practical solution. He expressed confidence that residents of Belagavi district would understand the importance of industrial development in the region and would not oppose the initiative to establish beverage units in Dharwad and its surroundings.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Turbulent, but afloat
The Congress government in Karnataka is all set to mark its second anniversary on March 20 with a mega event in Hosapete in north Karnataka. It has been an eventful two years for the man in the hot seat. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has adroitly managed the State's economy, including the cost of funding the Congress' five 'guarantees'; handled the social welfare agenda; and met developmental and infrastructural needs even if this has meant raising the prices of fuel and liquor to mop up additional resources. His government has rolled out programmes and increased allowances to several segments of society. It has spent close to ₹80,000 crore on the five 'guarantees', including free bus rides for women. It has also successfully conducted a Global Investors' Meet this year and exceeded its target by netting ₹10 lakh crore worth of investments. But the Chief Minister has also weathered many a political storm, including attempts to usurp his post, factionalism in the Congress, alleged scams, and the combined onslaught of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular). His series of troubles began with the alleged multi-crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, which is still under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate. This was followed by the alleged illegal allotment of 14 sites (now surrendered) by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to his wife Parvathi; political tensions over the State Backward Classes Commission's Socio-Economic and Educational Survey; and the problem of factionalism. On many occasions, Karnataka also faced social tensions, but the government handled these situations firmly and thwarted attempts to foment caste and communal strife. After its relentless campaign in the 2023 Assembly elections regarding the '40% commission' corruption charges against the previous BJP government, the Congress, ironically, now finds itself tainted in the same manner and seemingly unable to leap ahead on the developmental front. The government set up a judicial inquiry commission to probe the alleged commission in awarding public contracts during the BJP government's tenure. But so far, no conclusive evidence has been found barring some serious lapses and irregularities in COVID-19 management. Meanwhile, the government has also been on a collision course with Raj Bhavan and the Narendra Modi-led Union government. It strongly protested against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for sanctioning the prosecution of Mr. Siddaramaiah in the MUDA land issue, even while he has not sanctioned prosecution of JD(S) leader and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy despite repeated requests by the Karnataka Lokayukta. The government also faulted the Governor for withholding Bills passed by the State legislature and for reserving for the President's assent its Bill providing a 4% quota for Muslims (under the Other Backward Classes quota) in public contract works. The Congress dispensation has also often attacked the Modi regime for denying fair share in the devolution of taxes to Karnataka, cutting grants under the 15th Finance Commission, and delaying clearances for long-pending irrigation projects. The government has waded through several law and order issues too. In 2024, a bomb exploded in a café in Bengaluru. The same year, a student, Neha Hiremath, in Hubballi, was stabbed to death; recently, a Hindutva activist, Suhas Shetty, in Mangaluru, was murdered. A few borrowers who were unable to repay loans taken from unregistered microfinance institutions died by suicide. The State Police have also allegedly misused privileges in the gold smuggling case involving actor Ranya Rao. Amid speculation over a possible leadership change, the factions loyal to Mr. Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar have been involved in shadow fighting in a bid to undermine each other for the last two years. Ultimately, the intervention of All India Congress Committee chief Mallikarjuna Kharge forced the warring factions to calm down, at least for the time being. With India and Pakistan agreeing to a ceasefire, the government has decided to go ahead with its 'Sadhana Samavesha (achievements rally)' on May 20. But going forward, it certainly needs more peace between its factions.
