The Hindu Business Line : Karnataka plans to export goods worth Rs 60,000 cr

THE Karnataka Industries Minister, Mr P.G.R. Sindhia, has said that the State is planning to export goods worth Rs 60,000 crore during the current financial year.

Presenting the `KCCI Export Awards 2004', organised by the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Mangalore on Saturday, he said that the State exported goods worth Rs 50,000 crore, including Rs 7,000 crore from coastal Karnataka, during 2004-05.

The information technology sector's contribution was Rs 22,000 crore to the total exports from the State. Other sectors such as garments and manufacturing contributed the rest, he said.

Karnataka, which was in the second position in the last fiscal, is aiming at occupying the top slot during the current fiscal. To achieve this, the Government is also making efforts to boost export of agricultural products, he said.

The Government has also given approval for investments worth Rs 50,000 crore, he said.

IT special economic zone

The Government, which is planning to set up an exclusive IT special economic zone in Mangalore, has identified 500 acres of land. The aim is to encourage IT industry in second tier centres such as Mysore, Mangalore and Hubli. Some of the major IT companies have shown interest in setting up their units in Mangalore.

ONGC investments

He assured the KCCI members that the proposed coastal SEZ - in which the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation is planning to invest Rs 21,000 crore - will not be shifted from Mangalore.

The Prime Minister's Office is looking into the establishment of coastal SEZ in Mangalore, and the Prime Minister may agree for the project, he said. "There is no question of shifting the project from Mangalore," he said.

Preliminary notification has been issued for the acquisition of 450 acres of land for this purpose, the Minister said. KCCI is one of the signatories for the coastal SEZ project, along with ONGC and the Karnataka Government.

Airport projects

Mr Sindhia said that the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, has given `in-principle' approval for all the civil aviation projects submitted by the State Government. On the construction of a second runway at Mangalore airport, he said that the State has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the rehabilitation of families.

Of that amount, Rs 4 crore has been released. The remaining amount will be released as and when required, he said.

The State has released Rs 7 crore for the completion of Hassan-Mangalore Railway line, he said.

Thermal plants

Earlier addressing newspersons in Udupi, the Minister said that the State is committed to establishing power projects in Udupi district. However, the Government will take the concerns of the people into consideration while establishing such projects.

He said that the members of environmental groups had met him a few months ago expressing their opposition to the establishment of thermal power projects in Udupi district.

The Government is ready for talks with environmentalists in this regard, and a meeting will be convened soon, he added.

The KCCI President, Mr A. Srinivasa Rao, presided over the function.

Exporters from 20 categories were given the award on the occasion.

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