Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil informed the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Friday that suitable land has been identified in Belagavi district for the development of a proposed industrial park, in view of the growing demand for industrial expansion in the region.
Replying to a question raised by HubballiโDharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad regarding the proposed aerospace park, the Minister said that the State government has already proposed two defence corridors in Karnataka โ Bengaluru RuralโKolarโChikkaballapur and DharwadโBelagaviโVijayapura. He added that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has personally submitted the proposal to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Highlighting Karnatakaโs strength in the aerospace and defence sector, Mr. Patil said the State contributes nearly 65% to the sector due to its strong industrial ecosystem. He pointed out that Belagavi already has a developed aerospace ecosystem with the presence of the Aequs Aerospace SEZ, which the government plans to further strengthen. This expansion will also leverage the 3,000-acre industrial estate being developed in Dharwad district under the BengaluruโMumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC) project.
The Minister clarified that the government is actively exploring the potential for aerospace industries in North Karnataka, including Belagavi, along with the Bengaluru RuralโKolar region.
Addressing land availability, Mr. Patil said that suitable land for industrial development in Belagavi has been identified by the Special Deputy Commissioner, and discussions have already been held with the district in-charge Minister. He added that a proposal to develop an industrial park in the district will be finalised soon.
Mr. Patil also noted that the Stateโs new industrial policy aims to decentralise industrial growth beyond Bengaluru. He said that incentives are no longer being offered for investments in Bengaluru Urban district, while enhanced incentives are being provided for investments in other districts.
โAs per the new industrial policy, additional incentives of 3% to 5% have been proposed for investments in taluks identified as backward and more backward,โ he said.
During the discussion, Mr. Bellad urged the government to recommend only one defence corridor, preferably in North Karnataka, stating that South Karnataka already enjoys several advantages and a single corridor could help expedite approval from the Centre.