In a surprising turn of events, the Karnataka Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2023–28 has been revised, and Belagavi has been excluded from the list of proposed new EV clusters, despite previous government commitments and efforts to position the city as a future hub for EVs and drones. The revised policy now focuses on developing Chikkaballapur, Bidadi near Bengaluru, and Hubballi–Dharwad as the primary locations for the state’s EV clusters.
Source The Hindu
These clusters, also termed EV Model Cities, are being developed to strengthen the adoption and manufacturing of EVs in Karnataka. The government has identified approximately 800 acres of land for these clusters, where EV manufacturing and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can set up their factories. “We want EV manufacturing and the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to be in one place. Hence, we have created these clusters. The manufacturers can come and set up their factories on the land provided by us,” stated Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner, Department of Industries and Commerce.
The decision to exclude Belagavi from the EV cluster has left many local stakeholders puzzled and disappointed. Just a few months ago, in March 2024, the KDEM announced ambitious plans to transform Belagavi into a global hub for drones and electric vehicles. As part of this initiative, the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) spearheaded the DRoEV-2023 event in Belagavi, which attracted over 200 stakeholders, including industry leaders, policymakers, the research and development community, and startups. The event was marked by the signing of over 16 Letters of Intent (LoIs) from various industries, indicating significant investments in manufacturing, training, and R&D within the proposed Belagavi cluster.
The government’s sudden shift in focus has raised questions among local citizens and industry representatives about the rationale behind organizing DRoEV-2023 in Belagavi if the city was not going to be included in the final list of EV clusters. The event generated considerable excitement and hope for the region’s economic future, especially given the government’s announcement of dedicating 500 acres for the development of a tech hub focused on drones and EVs.
Critics have voiced concerns that the decision to exclude Belagavi from the revised policy may undermine investor confidence and waste the resources already allocated to the DRoEV-2023 initiative. “If Belagavi was not going to be included, why was the DRoEV-2023 event held here? It feels like a betrayal of the trust of the citizens and stakeholders who participated in good faith,” said a local entrepreneur who attended the event.
As the dust settles, the Belagavi community awaits further clarification from the Karnataka government and KDEM regarding its exclusion from the revised EV cluster policy. Meanwhile, questions linger about the effectiveness and transparency of the policy-making process, especially when significant public and private resources have already been committed to the vision of making Belagavi a key player in Karnataka’s EV and drone sectors.
Our city’s name deleted from EV cluster & project goes to Dharwad Hubli. Yes, it has become a Tradition that all our Good projects are moved out regularly. What are our so called Leaders doing? Our beloved ( Hubli based ) MP is also quiet on this deletion. All the organizations of Belgavi need to take this issue seriously & protest against this deletion.