BENGALURU: Industries Minister MB Patil said on Friday that the state government will establish a “Knowledge-Health-Innovation and Research City” (KHIR) on 2,000 acres of land on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Patil told reporters that the project will attract global talent and investments, taking Bengaluru to greater heights.
In its initial phase, 1,000 acres of land will be developed to house a world-class university, a state-of-the-art hospital, and advanced innovation and research facilities. He said the government is taking decisive steps to enhance industrial infrastructure and local industrial associations will be entrusted with the management of industrial areas.
The minister expressed confidence that this move will address the long-standing infrastructure challenges faced by industries in the state. To strengthen collaboration between the government and industry, discussions have been initiated with representatives from diverse sectors, ranging from startups to conglomerates. Diplomats from the Netherlands, Germany, Taiwan, and Israel have been made part of the dialogues with a focus on creating an inclusive environment conducive to industrial growth.
Speaking on the “Invest Karnataka” platform, Patil said it is being revamped to attract investors. This initiative involves industry luminaries, a “Strategic Investment Committee” comprising experts from venture capital, private equity, and infrastructure development, and the creation of a streamlined “single window” system to facilitate ease of doing business.
He emphasised the importance of the formation of a “Vision Group” to drive growth in priority sectors such as aerospace and defence, machine tools, ESDM, pharmaceuticals, core manufacturing, automotive/electric vehicles, industry 5.0, textiles, green energy and emerging technologies. The government is also working on a new industrial policy and has drafted policies for electric vehicles and warehousing and logistics sectors. “We are studying the industrial policies of other states,” Patil said.
The minister said that in the last few months, investments amounting to Rs 60,000 crore have been secured, resulting in the creation of approximately 30,000 jobs. Companies such as Foxconn, JSW Energy, Tata Electronics, and IBC have signed MOUs for substantial investments. “We are in negotiations with more than 20 investors with the potential to bring in investments of Rs 1,00,000 crore to the state,” he added.
He said the airport at Vijayapura will be a reality by April 2024. This apart, an eco-tourism park will be set up on 1,819 acres of land in Uttara Kannada through the public-private partnership model. There is a plan to create an Aero City Business Park on 407 acres of land near Kempegowda International Airport.