Priyank Kharge promises flat-floor factories for Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and, IT, BT Priyank Kharge has said that flat-floor factories with plug and play facilities would be set up beyond Bengaluru in places like Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Mysuru and an announcement in this regard would be made in the forthcoming budget.

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and, IT, BT Priyank Kharge has said that flat-floor factories with plug and play facilities would be set up beyond Bengaluru in places like Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Mysuru and an announcement in this regard would be made in the forthcoming budget.

Inaugurating the two-day TiECON-2025, annual conference of entrepreneurs and innovators organised by the Hubballi Chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Mr. Kharge also gave a 200% commitment to make this happen.

At the IT Park in Hubballi, which has more non-IT companies, the Minister said that already the issue had been discussed with KEONICS, and soon the park would be refurbished to make it a skilling centre and a Nano GCC (Global Capability Centre) would also be established. “Human resource is the strength of the region and the government will extend necessary help in strengthening it and exploiting the potential,” he said.

Mr. Kharge also promised to soon establish a Centre of Excellence in IIIT Dharwad after consulting academicians and experts.

Listing how tier-2 and tier-3 cities are becoming centres for new start-ups in the last few years, Mr. Priyank Kharge, however, admitted that there still was a lot to be done and the State government is willing to listen, take suggestions and act. “We are here to listen and support. You come with programmes and we will act on it,” he told entrepreneurs and innovators. He also assured that there would be more government participation in initiatives aimed at facilitating growth in various sectors like the one being conducted by TiE.

He said that the development and growth of Bengaluru and Karnataka happened over a period of three decades and various factors led to it. “Successive governments in Karnataka have taken measures in introduction of various policies to facilitate growth in various sectors. The present government will take this forward and take all necessary steps to make it a global destination,” he said.

The Minister said that although Karnataka was the leader in many areas, there still was the issue of shortage of skills and there was need for skilling, reskilling and upskilling. “So the Government of Karnataka has launched the programme ‘Nipuna Karnataka’ for skill development of 2,00,000 persons with the tagline ‘Skill locally work globally’, he said.