With the ONGC special economic zone (SEZ) coming up in Mangalore, Karnataka has decided to promote the coastal city as a destination for investments in petrochemicals. A special panel will be formed to pursue the plan. | |
| The Karnataka cabinet on Wednesday approved the formation of the panel of technical experts and business community. |
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| "The panel will approach the Centre seeking special status for Mangalore as a petrochemicals zone. It will come up on 3,000 acres outside the city. All basic infrastructure facilities, including a port, will be developed," Karnataka's home minister M P Prakash told reporters after the meeting. |
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| The Cabinet also approved setting up a sugar factory (2,500 metric tonnes cane crushing capacity, 16 Mw cogeneration) in Gokak with an investment of Rs 58 crore by a private firm. |
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| Approval for setting up another private sugar factory (5,000 metric tonnes cane crushing capacity, 26 Mw cogeneration) in Gulbarga district was given, the minister said. |
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| The meeting also decided to provide a rail link to the upcoming Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli from the city centre. |
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| "Identification of land is under progress to set up the train terminal. Passengers will go through immigration clearance and obtain flight boarding pass at the city terminal," Prakash pointed out. |
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| For the first time in the history of the state, the legislative session will be held outside Bangalore, at Belgaum. |
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| "The session may be held in Belgaum after September 24 for 4-5 days," the minister said. The move comes after Maharashtra staked claim to Belgaum on the grounds that the city is a Marathi-dominated area. |
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| "We are showing solidarity with Kannadigas in Belgaum by holding the legislative session. This city will remain an integral part of Karnataka," Prakash said. |
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