BENGALURU: In a bid to strengthen Karnataka’s engagement with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), foreign investors and global institutions, the State Government has decided to establish a dedicated facilitation mechanism to address their concerns and fast-track investment and collaboration proposals.
The cabinet on Thursday approved the establishment of a Department of Global Investment and Overseas Affairs in Karnataka. The department will have a separate secretariat and a minister and currently it will work under the supervision of the CM.
The proposed system will function as a single-window mechanism for NRIs, covering their businesses, welfare and other requirements. NRIs will also be provided a card under the system to facilitate access to government services and assistance, particularly in areas such as employment opportunities abroad as well.
The State Government also plans to create a mechanism to directly receive proposals from foreign investors and delegations visiting Karnataka. The CM will meet such delegations, receive their proposals and forward them to the administrative departments concerned for necessary action.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Deputy CM Dr G Parameshwara said the initiative aims at preventing potential investors from being made to wait for government responses or being forced to look at other states for investment opportunities.
Foreign investors seeking partnerships, collaborations and investments will be able to directly interact with the CM, after which their proposals will be referred to the relevant departments for follow-up, the DCM said. The proposed mechanism will cover a wide range of areas, including global research and development, innovation, cultural exchange, soft power, sports diplomacy, sister-city partnerships, healthcare, medicine and tourism, he elaborated.
State Facilitation Council
A State Facilitation Council will be constituted with the CM as its chairperson,Deputy CM as his deputy, with the ministers concerned of industries, agriculture, horticulture,IT-BT,urban development,Bengaluru development,higher education,energy,health,sports,and medical education as its members.
The proposal was discussed in detail in the cabinet, including its possible impact on industries and various government departments, before the decision was taken, Dr Parameshwara maintained.
The proposed facilitation department will essentially act as a coordinating and liaison mechanism. When an investor approaches the government with a proposal relating to a particular sector, the department will facilitate a meeting with the CM, if required, and subsequently route the proposal to the department concerned for further action.
10-member GoMs, official spokespersons
The Karnataka cabinet approved to constitute a 10-member Group of Ministers (GoMs) with the CM as its chairman on the Centre’s model so that key decisions are made there before they go to the cabinet. “There were concerns as to why does the CM take decisions alone, no one listens to him, no one does anything, is that what is happening now? That is why on the lines of GoM that a model will be implemented in Karnataka, for the first time,” Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara said.
Dr Parameshwara, ministers KH Muniyappa, KJ George, Priyank Kharge, Krishna Byre Gowda, Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah, UT Khader, Laxman Savadi, Satish Jarkiholi, and MB Patil will be part of the GoM. It has also been decided to appoint spokespersons for the government to issue official statements. They spokespersons are Dr G Parameshwara, Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge, Santosh Lad, UT Khader, Eshwar Khandre, HC Balakrishna, and Laxman Savadi.
