Jagadish Shettar, Hon’ble Minister for Large & Mega Industries, Govt of Karnataka interacted with Investors of Karnataka and Maharashtra states on 11th Sept, 2019 at Hotel Fairfield Marriott Belagavi.
Belagavi has not had a new industrial estate in last 20-25 years after Honaga. The state of the infrastructure in Udyambag is known to all and not much has been done to upgrade the same.
The growth of industries and Investment in Karnataka is concentrated around the capital of Karnataka. The lack of industrial growth in North Karnataka has many reasons and to name the Major one is the lack of preparedness in every sense. The investor meetings current and past were only Limited to headlines. The investor needs a ready Land, well-supported Infrastructure, Good connectivity, Logistics Transport, Housing, Education Entertainment and a friendly environment with ease of doing business.
The way Forward
The proposal of new Railway line from Belagavi to Dharwar need not be only be looked as the alternate to the existing roundabout root via Ramanagar. This new line has a lot of other benefits which will surely contribute to the peak for the Social and Economical Development of North Karanataka.
The proposed new electric double line Railways not only to be extended to State Boundary Nippani, in fact, it has to Start from Kolhapur. The existing Seven Industrial Estates, Kolhapur MIDC, Kagal MIDC, Five Star Industrial Estate, Aequs, Honaga, Auto Nagar, Kittur and Belur are the added advantage for this corridor. We have to propose new Big Industrial Estate at Nippani, Sankeshwar, Belagavi [ from Aequs to MK Hubli ] Agricultural, IT, Foundry Textiles Hydraulics and many other on this corridor.
This Railway Industrial corridor not only connect the cities and make the Route shorter but immensely contribute to the overall development of North Karnataka.
Cargo and Logistics
The Railways being the cheapest version on mass public and logistic transport will help the people to commute from one Industrial estate to others and at the same time from one city to other.
Belagavi being the centre and the rail connectivity to Sea Ports via existing lines will add huge cargo movement to Goa and Karwar Port. The national highway assures good Road transport.
New Dimensions
The agricultural products, Ethanol movement to other parts of the country and the world will boost the overall economic growth of this region.
Focus
We need to have one or two Big Industries in every industrial estate which will have Commercial Spaces along with Highway, Housing and education at the second level and with an Industrial estate at Third level with a green barrier.
Advantages
The skilled manpower, Educational facilities, Medical Facilities, Three functional Airports in this vicinity and a good Cosmo multi linguistics culture, Belagavi will drive the next level of growth to be the second capital of Karnataka in real sense.
Planning
The overall growth pattern has to be planned for the coming 15 years which are to be divided into three phases. The second phase can be added with new Railway connectivity to Kalyana Karnataka with Belagavi as Hub.
The railway line project will boost the social and economical growth of North Karanataka and I am sure the ROI on this project to Railways with this social and economical development is priceless, said Chaitanya Kulkarni, President-Elect CREDAI Karnataka.
Sachin Sabnis is Managing Director, Belgaum Ferrocast Pvt. Ltd opined that the existing industries in Belagavi are suffering due to lack of infrastructure, unavailability of land for expansions. No proper industrial policy focused towards the manufacturing sector. Highest minimum wages in India.
We need to stress these things as the existing industries will invest more than anyone coming from outside given the opportunity.
Today’s meet is leaving a bad feeling amongst the local industries not because we don’t want investment to come but not when the local industry is starving for proper infra and lack of land for expansion in such a scenario calling industries from outside state and doing investor meet is uncalled for.
