BENGALURU: As the number of Covid cases continues to rise, the Karnataka government is likely to cancel its ambitious Global Investors’ Meet (GIM) this year too, and probably put it off to 2022. Organising the GIM needs at least six months, with investors from across the globe expected to participate. The last GIM was held in 2016.
The State government had earlier scheduled the GIM for three days from November 3, 2020, but cancelled it due to the lockdown and pandemic. Official sources from the Department of Industries and Commerce said they need at least six months to do the groundwork. “As organisers, we conduct roadshows across all metro cities in India as well as outside, attracting and inviting investors. With the second wave here, we can neither travel to other countries nor host roadshows in other cities. With experts warning that cases will peak in May, it means we might miss GIM this year too,’’ an official told TNIE, on condition of anonymity.
The first GIM was held in 2000, but it took 10 years to organise the second one in 2010, when the BJP was in power. The third GIM was held in 2012 and the last one in 2016. For many reasons, the GIM could not be organised after that. “In 2018, the coalition government was in power, and in 2019, Yediyurappa took oath in July and had very little time to organise GIM that year. The government planned to hold it in 2020, but couldn’t due to the pandemic,” sources said.
Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar said they had tentatively decided to hold it in December 2020 or February 2021. Going by the increasing Covid caseload, we might organise it next year, he said. “We will wait till May-end or June to take a call,’’ he said. GIM does not work virtually, so we will have to wait and organise it in Bengaluru, he added.
Shettar also said that postponing GIM will not affect ongoing works, including the toy cluster in Koppal. “We were expecting good investors, hopefully things will get better and we will get heavy investments that create more employment,’’ he added.
GIM IN THE PAST
June 2000, June 2010, June 2012 (two days)
February 2016 (three days)