Karnataka to get two more manufacturing zones

The ministry of commerce and industry has approved two more National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) in Karnataka. The second and third NIMZs will be set up at Bidar and Gulbarga. The ministry had earlier sanctioned the first such zone in Tumkur for which land acquisition is under progress.

Anand Sharma, minister for commerce and industry, today said, the ministry is awaiting proposal for one more NIMZ in the state. He reviewed the progress of various proposals of the Karnataka government along with chief minister Siddaramaiah and government officials, here today.

"We have reviewed the progress of the National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZ) in the state of Karnataka. The new government, headed by Siddaramaiah, had proposed to set up three more NIMZs in Karnataka and had sent a proposal for two and we have approved their proposal," Sharma told reporters.

He said, each of these NIMZ would require at least 5,000 acres of land and the government of India would provide assistance for creating the infrastructure. "NIMZ is one of the biggest policy rollouts of UPA government with a view to increase the share of manufacturing from 16 per cent to 25 per cent of the GDP. We have approved 14 NIMZs so far of which eight will come up along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor," he said.

These NIMZs will be developed as standalone integrated industrial townships. The land will be the equity of state governments and government of India will provide infrastructure, he said.

Sharma said, the government has also agreed to provide the status of NIMZ to the proposed Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) near the international airport in Bangalore. All the incentives being provided to units in the NIMZ will be extended to ITIR, he said.

The minister also reviewed the progress of two industrial corridors passing through Karnataka. The first one is the Bangalore-Chennai Industrial Corridor, which will be extended to Chitradurga. "We have accepted the proposal to extend it up to Chitradurga. The government of Japan which is partnering in this project has also agreed. The master plan is ready and the second phase of the feasibility report is being done," he said.

The second industrial corridor is the 1,000-km long Bangalore-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, for which the United Kingdom government will partner. This is expected to attract $25 billion in investments and create employment for 2.5 million people. The feasibility study has been commissioned for the project, he said.

"There will be a joint steering committee between the UK and government of India which will be constituted soon. Both, the government of UK and government of India will come out with innovative financing for the project," he said.

The minister also reviewed many other proposals of the Karnataka government such as setting up of a convention centre under the ASIDE scheme. The government of India will give Rs 20 crore assistance for the project, he said.

The government has also approved the upgrade of the NID centre for R&D into a full-fledged educational campus with more post-graduate and graduate courses under the 12th Plan period.

Agriculture Produce Export and Development Authority will set up more cold storages and pack houses at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, for the export of perishable commodities.

The commerce ministry has also approved a proposal for setting up a Chilli Park in Haveri and a Pepper Park jointly Spices Board, for which the location is yet to be finalised.