BENGALURU: Hitting back at Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh for his remarks criticising Bengaluru’s infrastructure, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that there was no other city in the country that is a match to Bengaluru in terms of infrastructure, human resources, startups, and innovation.
Lokesh’s statement comes after Google opted to invest $15 billion in Andhra Pradesh to set up a mega data and AI hub in Visakhapatnam.
“There is no other city in the country that is a match to Bengaluru in terms of infrastructure, human resources, startups, and innovation. Others talk about Bengaluru to market themselves,” Shivakumar taunted while speaking to reporters in Vidhana Soudha.
The DCM also said that Bengaluru’s contribution to the country’s progress was immense.
“I will not respond to anyone’s statement, be it Nara Lokesh or anyone else. Twenty-five lakh IT professionals and 2 lakh foreigners work in Bengaluru. About 40% of the Central government’s tax revenue comes from here. They talk about themselves to market themselves. Let them do something. Let the Centre also help them. But Bengaluru is no match for other cities,” Shivakumar, who is also state Congress chief, said.
Shivakumar further said that more foreign investments are coming to the state and city. “We know how many foreign leaders are contacting me. I, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge, Large Scale Industries Minister MB Patil will sit across the table and discuss. Foreign companies were operating in rented spaces in Bengaluru for so long. After the growth in the US, they are now moving forward to buy their own space. They are moving forward to have their own campus, this is the strength of Bengaluru,” Shivakumar said.
“Can we say no to those going to Andhra Pradesh? If they are going to go because they are going to give more exemptions, let them go. Let them also see and experience things everywhere,” the Congress leader said.
On the state losing more than Rs 1 lakh crore in investment, the DCM maintained that the foreign representatives are constantly meeting Karnataka ministers.
“No one will leave Bengaluru. We don’t need to advertise and call anyone saying that we will give big exemptions. All the facilities in Bengaluru are attracting investors,” Shivakumar added.
On JDS MLAs filing a petition in the court alleging that the State Government gave grants to Congress MLAs but not to them, Shivakumar said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will reply in this regard. “Wasn’t it the previous BJP government that taught us a lesson in this matter? We are not as cruel as them. We have shown generosity (by giving grants),”
JDS slams Congress government
JDS slammed the Congress government over Bengaluru’s infrastructure woes and said it was such issues that forced Google to select Vizag to set up its AI hub. “After the Congress government came to power, Silicon City valley of India Bengaluru has been eclipsed. Bengaluru’s potholes, IT Minister Priyank Kharge’s negligence resulted in the state recieving a big blow as an investment of Rs Rs 1.3 lakh crore was lost.
The project, which could have generated 30,000 jobs and an annual revenue of Rs 10,000 crore, has gone to another state. At a time when the Garden City is facing the wrath of the corporate sector due to potholes, garbage and infrastructure problems, a global investment project has gone to the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh,” JDS said. It further termed Priyank as a ‘useless minister’ and attacked Bengaluru Urban Development Minister DK Shivakumar saying the latter’s arrogance was threatening entrepreneurs to leave Bengaluru.
