Murugesh Nirani, Karnataka minister for major and medium industries, told Business Standard here that there has been a good response from industrialists to set up units in north Karnataka.

"Sixty five projects with an investment of Rs 50 crore each have been submitted to the government. We will convene a meeting of prospective investors soon and discuss the matter," Nirani said.

Stating that Hubli-Dharwad will be developed as a special zone for automobile industry, Nirani said Bijapur-Davanagere would be developed as a food processing industry zone while Gulbarga and Bagalkot will be for the cement industry. Belgaum will be a foundry special zone and Bellary will be developed as steel industry zone.

He said the new industrial policy will emphasise decentralisation of industrial growth. The industries will be asked to be self-reliant as far as water is concerned. They have to provide employment to locals.

Nirani said the government was ready to provide necessary facilities to the entrepreneurs to set up units. Barren and uncultivated land would be used for setting up the industries.

"However, if they do not set up the industries after being allotted the land by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board within three years, the land will be recovered and handed over to farmers to who it belonged earlier."

Nirani, who is an engineer by qualification and an industrialist, said he knew the intricacies involved in setting up and running a new industry.

"I am running industrial units in backward areas of Bagalkot district. I know the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs. The new policy would provide remedies to all such problems," he asserted.