The Karnataka government’s ‘Compete with China’ scheme, which is aimed at recreating manufacturing jobs and boosting employment for locals, is expected to create nine lakh jobs in the next four years.

Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday met the core vision group members of all the nine clusters. He said the government has set aside Rs 2,000 crore for each cluster as government support in terms of equity and it envisages Rs 3,000 crore from the private sector in each cluster. In addition, the government has allocated Rs 500 crore to undertake skill development training programmes in all the identified districts.

As part of the ‘Compete with China’ scheme, the Karnataka government has identified nine districts to foster innovation and product diversification. It also plans to have manufacturing and assembling activities right from the village level to the taluk and district level in each cluster.

The existing manufacturing and service base of the district would be adequately utilised and scaled up. Programmes to be implemented in various districts include Kalaburgi for manufacturing of solar power goods, Chitradurga for manufacture of LED lights, Hassan for manufacture of sanitary goods, Koppal for manufacture of mechanised toys, Mysuru for an ICB manufacturing unit, Bellary for the textile industry, Chikkaballapur for mobile phone components, Tumkur for sports and fitness goods, and Bidar for the manufacture of agricultural implements.

Addressing the Vision Group for Solar Power Goods, Gaurav Gupta, Karnataka Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries and IT BT and Science and Technology, said, “Through the ‘Compete with China’ scheme, the government is keen on expanding its industrial development footprint in other parts of the state and we intend to start implementation by February 2019. Karnataka is planning to set up a mini secretariat in order to fast-track implementation and will provide all assistance with regard to infrastructure, land, training and equity in the SPV that is set up. This initiative will also contribute to the Centre’s vision of becoming a $5-trillion economy by 2025.”

Karnataka’s ‘Compete with China’ programme was envisioned with the objective of scaling up production capacities of the state’s manufacturing sector in line with China’s success story.

The Vision Group’s Meetings that were held today included Solar Power Goods and LED Lights. Industry leaders from both sectors deliberated on the way forward and agreed to chart out an implementation plan for the government’s ‘Compete with China’ scheme, while the government promised all necessary support.

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