Our Bureau

Bangalore , July 14

THE Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has made a 15-point agenda to take Karnataka's economy to a new high and has offered to partner with the State Government in implementing it.

At a presentation made during the FICCI national executive committee meeting held here on Thursday, the Senior Vice-President, Mr S.K. Poddar, observed that Karnataka was a truly global Indian State, with one MNC moving in every week. It ranked fifth among the industrialised States. The State Government, too, had all the right intentions, plans and policies in place for its growth.

However, it was lagging in infrastructure and the implementation of its policies. FICCI was ready to involve itself in public-private partnerships for its growth, Mr Poddar said in a presentation made before the Agriculture Minister, Mr Srinivasa Gowda.

The State Industrial Policy 2001-06 has targeted economic growth of eight per cent to nine per cent and industrial growth of 10 per cent to 12 per cent. To achieve this, Mr Poddar said there should be increased investments in irrigation projects, dryland development, as also dedicated agri-export zones at Chitradurga, Kolar, Bangalore, Tumkur and Bijapur. Courses in agri-business management and food engineering management should be encouraged.

On the infrastructure front, the State needed to upgrade State highways and corridors of high traffic density. Tadri and Karwar ports should be developed immediately, while smaller airports at Hubli, Mysore, Hubli, Bijapur and Gulbarga should be upgraded or developed to improve their connectivity with the rest of the country.

The State, he said, should also pursue auto parks at Bidadi, Shimoga, Dharwad; an apparel export park at Bellary and SEZs at Devanahalli and Hassan.

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