Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL), the 100% export-oriented unit under the ministry of steel and mines, has proposed to set up a steel plant in Karnataka as part of its forward integration plans at an estimated investment of Rs 9,000-10,000 crore.

The company's move comes after Karnataka government's recent decision to grant mining licence to those who will invest in a steel plant.

"We are waiting for allotment of a bigger mine in Karnataka for the sustenance of the company in the long run. Recently, we were granted a mining lease at Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumkur district by the state government which has an iron ore deposit of about 10 million tonnes and may last for 4-5 years," K Ranganath, Chairman and Managing Director, KIOCL said.

....




Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kiocl-plans-rs-10000-cr-steel-plant-in-karnataka/16/12/53581/on) on 24 Jan 2009

Note that this is the second proposal for setting up steel plant after Karnataka came up with a new mining policy. For the first proposal by NMDC read here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=30101110&postcount=219).

KIOCL has restarted its pellet and pig iron plant asper the report here (http://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/2084103/Iron/KIOCL-reopens-pellet-pig-iron-plants.html), which was shutdown for want of demand earlier. KIOCL is reconsidering its spun pipe plant project as per the old news here (http://www.yourmetalnews.com/capex+cuts+-+kiocl+reconsidering+spun+pipe+plant+in+karnataka_20206.html).

Mumbai: JSW Steel's expansion of its Vijayanagar plant in Karnataka to 10 million tonne per annum (mtpa) from the present 7 mtpa is progressing as per schedule and the company has fully tied up funds for the project.

....

The steelmaker is aiming to complete the facility, which would be the first 10-mtpa steel plant in India at a single location, by September 2010 and is now in the process of tying up iron ore for the plant.

....


Source: DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1224103) on 22 Jan 2009

BELGAUM: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Saturday announced a special package of Rs. 3,700 crore for 30 projects aimed at the comprehensive development of north Karnataka.

In a 90-minute reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the joint session of the State legislature, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the Government was committed to the development of all districts in north Karnataka. A Rs. 600-crore drinking water project comprising 80 schemes would be implemented in 878 villages in north Karnataka, where fluoride content in water was high.

He said the Government would take up the Rs. 2,193-crore Chimmalagi lift irrigation project in Bijapur district to lift 20 tmcft of water to irrigate 87,067 hectares of land in Muddebihal, Basavanabagewadi, Sindagi, Indi, and Bijapur taluks. Of the sum, Rs. 63.20 crore would be spent on overhead tanks and canals in the next financial year. A proposal had been prepared to implement the second phase of the Guthi Basavanna lift irrigation project in Bijapur district to irrigate 20,690 hectares of land in Indi and Sindagi taluks and Rs. 128 crore would be earmarked for the project in the next budget, he said.

A total of 10,000 km of roads would be developed on the Public-Private Partnership model for providing better connectivity in rural areas of the State, he said.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/25/stories/2009012558310100.htm

^^ list of other goodies is here:




Rs 1,458.48-crore package for Belgaum and other north Karnataka districts.

Rs 5 crore for heritage Botanical park.

Rs 150 crore for development of 38 km Belgaum roads through private enterprise.

Rs 5 crore for revival of Karnataka Sugar Factory in Belgaum.

Rs 120 crore for Belgaum's drainage and sewage works.

Rs 5 crore jaggery-processing unit.

Rs 5 crore for setting up Centre for Climatic Change and Research Centre in Dharwad.

Rs 5 crore for starting silver jewellery manufacturing complex in Chikkodi.

Rs 10 crore for a spices park in Haveri district.

Rs 10 crore for an auto park in Basavakalyan in Bidar district.

50% matching funds for starting direct trains from Dharwad-Belgaum, Kudchi-Bagalkot, Gadag-Haveri and Almatti-Koppal.

Rs 600 crore for drinking water in 648 villages of north Karnataka.

Rs 5 crore for development of Tagore Beach in Karwar.

Rs 15 crore for providing approach roads in the hilly and terrain regions of Uttar Kannada district.

Rs 63.20 crore for irrigation projects in Bijapur.

Rs 128 crore for lift irrigation project in Bijapur.

Rs 50 crore for veterinary college in Gadag.

Rs 5 core for starting milk co-operative unions in north Karnataka.

Rs 5 crore for garment manufacturing unit in Belgaum.

Rs 20 crore for upgrading 300-bed hospital to an additional 250-bed one in Bidar.

Rs 10 crore for a hospital for mentally challenged on the lines of Nimhans in Bangalore.

Rs 12.50 crore for upgrading 750-bed Belgaum's general hospital to 1,000-bed one.

Rs 10 crore for Border Area Development Authority.

Rs 5 crore to Kittur Development Authority.

Rs 50 crore for comprehensive development of Sri Renuka Yellama Temple at Savadatti.

Rs 110.6 crore for irrigation projects in Athani taluk in Belgaum district.

Rs 17 crore for irrigation projects in Shahapur.

Rs 5.5 crore to develop botanical garden in Hidkal Dam on the lines of KRS.

Rs 10 crore for rehabilitation of Devadasis.

Rs 27.48 crore for resurveying Belgaum district, e-governance and to strengthen survey training facilities.



Source: The Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hubli/Cost_to_prove_a_point_Rs_24_crore/articleshow/4027124.cms) on 24 Jan 2009



BELGAUM: The government intends to take up development of historical places in Belgaum district at a cost of Rs 50 crore.

Tourism minister G Janardhan Reddy announced that government will provide better infrastructure and improve connectivity to places like Rajahamsagad built by Shivaji, Gokak Falls, Yellammana Gudda in Savadatti and Rani Chennamma's birthplace Kakathi. He said roads, dormitory, garden, sound and light systems are some of the facilities planned for such historical places. The minister assured the members that the plans would take concrete shape in the next three months.



Source: The Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Hubli/Rs_50_cr_to_develop_tourism_in_Belgaum/articleshow/4026931.cms) on 24 Jan 2009

HAVERI: Karnataka would be developed into an important tourist destination in the map of India in the coming 53 months, said chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

He was addressing the public after inaugurating the Mini Vidhana Soudha built at a cost of Rs 2 crore on Sunday at Byadagi near Haveri. Roads and other infrastructure would be developed by 2010 at the identified tourist destinations in all the districts within a budget of Rs 2 crore.

"Our state has a number of waterfalls, significant monuments of architectural wealth, forts and a rich wildlife apart from one of the world's biodiversity hotspot Western Ghats, but the previous governments have not done much to develop these. We have cleared recruitment of 412 officials for tourism department in all the districts. Heli-tourism process has begun in the state'', he said.

Steps would be taken to acquire lands at tourist and heritage sites if they have been leased. Tourism is also being developed at district places with private participation and the process has begun in the coastal region, the CM said.

Last year the government had released Rs 30 crore for the development of roads connecting the tourist destinations in Karnataka and another Rs 30 crore would be released this year, he said.

....



Source: The Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hubli/Karnataka_to_become_tourist_hub_CM/articleshow/4030886.cms) 25 Jan 2009

Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited (Kappec), engaged in the promotion of exports of agricultural and horticultural produce, is setting up the state’s first cold chain project under the public private participation (PPP) model at Hubli. Kappec has partnered Hubli-based Ken Agritech Pvt Ltd to form the new joint venture company, Tropicool Foods Pvt Ltd, to set up its first individually quick frozen (IQF) freezing unit for processing mango and vegetables at Hubli.

read more (http://www.exchange4projects.com/FOODPROD/ppp-route-to-set-up-karnatakas-first-cold-chain)

..

BANGALORE: Karnataka has decided to develop a Core Road Network (CRN) of 66,000 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,77,000 crore under the public-private partnership module in the next six years (2009-15).

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday launched work on upgrading 10,000 km of State highways and major district roads (MDRs) apart from 12,600 km of village roads in the first phase. The estimated cost for development of 10,000 km of State highways and MDRs is Rs. 31,400 crore. About 40,000 km of roads will be developed in the second phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.08 lakh crore and 16,000 km in the third phase with an investment of Rs. 36,800 crore.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said the 66,000-km CRN would connect Bangalore with other IT hubs such as Mysore, Hassan, Davangere, Hubli, Dharwad, and Mangalore. The objective of the CRN was to promote industrial and urban development and integrate economically backward and remote areas.

All these roads would be toll roads, and toll booths would be established every 50 km. The toll would be based on the rate fixed by the National Highways Authority of India, he said.

The toll rates for 50 km on a two-lane road for 2008-09 would be fixed at Rs. 25 for cars, jeeps, vans and light motor vehicles, Rs. 38 for light commercial vehicles and light goods vehicles, Rs. 75 for buses and lorries, Rs. 113 for heavy construction machinery, earthmoving equipment and multi-axle vehicles and Rs. 150 for oversized vehicles (seven or more axles).

Agricultural non-transport vehicles, two and three-wheelers and local short-distance vehicles used only for passenger transport would be exempted from payment of toll. Service roads would be provided for local traffic, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said at present the State had a road network of nearly 2.09 lakh km: 3,978 km of national highways, 20,738 km of State highways, 37,973 km of district roads and 1,47,212 km of village roads.

The CRN would be an all-weather, smooth road network with a minimum two-lane carriageway and feeder roads and four to six lanes near urban settlements.

The roads would be developed under various PPP models such as build operate, transfer; design, build, operate, transfer; and viability gap funding. The developer would be given one acre of land for every five km of road developed for business activities. Land acquisition and development would be undertaken by private entrepreneurs.

A State-level task force headed by the Chief Minister had been constituted to monitor the progress of roads, and committees headed by the deputy commissioners had been constituted for fixation of compensation rates for land acquired for roads.

About 200 private investors attended the programme.



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/29/stories/2009012953080100.htm) 29 Jan 2009

Suzlon to set up steel plant in Karnataka

By Agencies

Wind energy major Suzlon plans to invest around Rs 50,000 crore to set up an integrated steel plant in Bijapur district of Karnataka.

Suzlon's Rs 49,720-crore project was among the 15 proposals with investment of Rs 75,541.25 crore, cleared by the high-level clearance committee chaired by the Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday.

Major and medium industries minister Murugesh R Nirani said the company would take up the project, which is likely to create 9,000 jobs, in four phases.

According to the state commissioner for industrial development, Raj Kumar Khatri, Suzlon plans to manufacture steel on its own for wind turbines to meet its domestic and overseas demand.

"Instead of taking steel from other companies, they (Suzlon) would like to make steel and then convert it into (wind) towers", he said.

Hazira Steel Ltd's (Essar Steel Karnataka Ltd) proposed Rs 17,760-crore integrated steel plant with employment capacity of 9,675 persons was also cleared. Meanwhile, Brooke Bond Real Estates Pvt Ltd, part of Hindustan Unilever, proposed to set up Rs 1,602-crore IT/ITeS special economic zone here, where they have been holding land since 1982, officials said.

Brooke Bond has projected an employment potential of 2.88 lakh in this venture. Of the 15 projects cleared, eight are in north Karnataka with envisaged investment of Rs 72,025.25 crore, Yeddyurappa said.

Other projects include Rs 2,687-crore iron and steel project to be set up by MSPL and Rs 9,859-crore iron and steel project by Aaress Iron and Steel Ltd. The projects will provide employment to about 68,332 people.
:cheers:


http://in.biz.yahoo.com/090128/203/6zdni.html

^^ Suzlon denies steel sector foray (http://www.indiainfoline.com/news/innernews.asp?storyId=91582&lmn=1)

Karnataka plans two set up a Rs 2,000 crore International horticulture park near the new Bangalore international airport and four mega marketing development parks on a PPP model at Belgaum, Hassan, Kolar and Mysore at a cost of Rs 100 crore each. Four more such parks are also planed. The land acquistion work is going on for setting up university for horticulture at Bagalkot.

Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/state-plans-horticulture-park-near-new-airport/00/06/347993/)

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved two laning of Hospet-Bellary section of NH 63 at a cost of Rs 162.56 crore.

Source: indopia (http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/495143/National/1/23/1)

Essar Steel will invest Rs 17,760 crore to put up a 6 mtpa mega steel plant in Karnataka. The state government has cleared the proposal and the plant is to be set up at Bagalkot, industry. The plant would have a 3 mtpa capacity which would be doubled to 6 mtpa in the second phase. The proposal is to set up a pellet plant, a coke oven plant and a battery in the first phase and the company has asked the state government to lease an iron ore mine for uninterrupted supply of the raw material.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/02061655.htm)

Maytas have hand in state projects



Gulbarga, Shimoga airports stuck with Maytas?


Karnataka to scrap all Maytas projects (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Karnataka+to+scrap+all+Maytas+projects&artid=6KWjQrdSvZY=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

The Karnataka Government has decided to establish a new agricultural university at Shimoga district. The university will be named as Malnad University of Agricultural Sciences.

The State Government is likely to allocate a token amount of Rs.10 crore for the same on February 20 in the State Budget.

Shimoga, Davangere, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Udupi and South Kannada districts will be under the jurisdiction of the proposed university.

....

The proposed agricultural university in Shimoga will be the fourth agricultural university in Karnataka.



Source: india edunews (http://www.indiaedunews.net/Karnataka/New_agricultural_varsity_to_come_up_at_Shimoga_7405/)

Read also earlier post Ayurvedic varsity planned in Shimoga (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=31127918&postcount=248).

Bangalore (PTI): The Centre has released Rs 315 crore to Karnataka under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), aimed at reorienting farm development strategies for rejuvenation of the sector in the 11th Plan period.

The funds would be utilised for strengthening extension centres, establishment of flower auction centres, development of fisheries, and to provide technology and marketing facilities to farmers, and implementation of projects under other agricultural allied activities.

....



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200902161556.htm)

http://www.kar.nic.in/finance/bud2009/bud2009.htm


Pro-farmer Budget for Karnataka
The size of the State Plan in this budget is Rs 25,953 crore representing over 10 per cent of the GSDP. This outlay is 46 per cent more than the revised estimates of the plan expenditure during 2007-08.

Mr Yeddiyurappa, who presented his third Budget, said farmers, weavers and fishermen can now get loans from co-operative societies at 3 per cent interest rate. He said the budgetary allocation for growth of agriculture has been increased 64 per cent to Rs 1,974 crore from the previous year.

The government will also provide free electricity for irrigation pumpsets which will benefit about 15 lakh farmers. The state will invest about Rs 2050 crore for electricity subsidy for irrigation pumps.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/07/18/stories/2008071851352100.htm)

http://www.deccanherald.com/DeccanHerald.com/UserFiles/Image/Feb212009/ind.jpg
Courtesy: Deccan Herald (http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Feb212009/scroll20090221119785.asp?section=updatenews)


Karnataka revenue declines by 50 percent for FY 2009
The economic slowdown has severely impacted Karnataka, resulting in a steep 50 percent decline in its revenue surplus as against the budget estimates for this fiscal 2008-09 (FY 2009).

'The revised estimate of revenue surplus is Rs.767 crore (Rs.7.67 billion) as against the budget estimates of Rs.1,527 crore (Rs.15.27 billion) for 2008-09, which is a decline of 50 percent,' Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said Friday while presenting to the state assembly here the vote-on-account for fiscal 2009-10.

Source: Thaindian News (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/karnataka-revenue-declines-by-50-percent-for-fy-2009_100157740.html)


Special grants
Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has promised to provide a special grant of Rs 50 crore to each of eight city corporations, Rs 15 crore to each district headquarters having CMCs, Rs 5 crore to taluk headquarters having TMCs and Rs 2 crore for small towns having TPs for their overall development.
All these cities and towns will be developed through Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation.

Ports
The budget has proposed to set up Karnataka Maritime Board for development of ports. A sum of Rs 100 crore is earmarked for construction of good ports at Karwar, Tadadi, Honnavar, Malpe and old Mangalore through private partnership. Besides, an allocation of Rs 10 crore has been made to provide for dredging of Karwar port to enable increased movement of ships.

Source: Deccan Herald (http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Feb212009/scroll20090221119785.asp?section=updatenews)


The Government will set up electronic public call offices to popularise the use of the Internet in rural areas and bio-tech parks in prominent cities, away from Bangalore. The Government will set up apparel clusters in Gulbarga, Bellary, Hubli, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Shimoga, Davangere, Mysore, Ramanagaram and Chickballapur with private participation. Under the scheme, the Government will extend 20 per cent share capital to each of the clusters, for which about Rs. 40 crore to Rs. 50 crore investment is required.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/21/stories/2009022155590100.htm)


Rs.33 bn budget for Bangalore infrastructure

The Karnataka government Friday allocated Rs.33 billion (Rs.3,300 crore) for the infrastructure development of India's IT hub in the state budget for the ensuing fiscal 2009-10.

'Of the total budget (Rs.33 billion), Rs.20 billion (Rs.2,000 crore) will be spent on upgrading arterial roads in Greater Bangalore under a special programme, involving private partnership for their maintenance,' Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said, presenting the vote-on-account for FY 2010 in the state legislative assembly.

The Bangalore Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will invest Rs.8 billion on infrastructure development in the city, while the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will spend Rs.5 billion on other development works, including construction of a 10-lane signal free road, connecting inner and outer ring roads, with private participation.

Source: Bombay News (http://www.bombaynews.net/story/469314)

The state has finally succeeded in getting an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

The Central government has agreed to sanction one IIT to the state in the 2009-10 plans.

In a recent meeting with the Planning Commission, the state secretary for higher education had raised the issue. After an hour-long discussion, the Planning Commission agreed in principle to sanction an IIT for Karnataka.

....

According to sources in the department of higher education, the government would require more than Rs700 crore to purchase 300 acres of land in Bangalore. So Bangalore has been ruled out as the location to set up an IIT.

Six years ago, a committee to recommend IIT, headed by Prof U R Rao, had suggested one for Karnataka and it had identified Hubli-Dharwad as the ideal location. Even the department officials are planning to refer the Rao Committee's report.

....





Source: DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1234913)

Delhi has turned a deaf ear to the decades-old demand for an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Karnataka and, like most other issues, it is being politicised. Bangalore has acquired fame as a knowledge city. What was once a pensioners’ paradise and garden city has come to be known as India’s Silicon Valley. Being ‘Bangalored’ has become a common expression in USA, because the city’s strong IT base has made it a world BPO centre.

The state has been attracting students from all over the country as it has the largest number of engineering colleges and is home to the prestigious Indian Institute of Science and the country’s second-best Indian Institute of Management.

All these is supposed to strengthen its demand for an IIT as these criteria mean it has the requisite academic atmosphere and infrastructure.

....

Earlier, it was said that the Suratkal Regional Engineering College, upgraded to an autonomous national institute, will be converted into an IIT.

Nearly 40,000 students pass out annually from about 140 engineering colleges in Karnataka and those aspiring to take up higher education have to either seek admission to IITs in other states or go abroad.

....

The only argument against the proposal is that when they were initially planned, in an era of extremely limited resources and little contribution from the corporate sector, it was decided to locate IITs and IIMs in different places. As Bangalore already has an IIM it cannot have an IIT, it is argued. As if this is a sacrosanct rule.

....

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Will+Institute+of+Technology+elude+Karnataka+again?&artid=uWPoXvh1dLY=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=Bangalore,+karnataka,+Indian,+Institute,+Technolog


Educationists pitch for IIT in Karnataka


BANGALORE: Karnataka will persist in its demand for an IIT, and send a delegation to present its case. This was iterated at a round table discussion organized by PES Institutions on Tuesday. The high-level power session had renowned scientists, educationists, corporate representatives and politicians, all joined by the common cause.

....

Chairing the session, Professor U R Rao argued against the Centre's stand that Karnataka had an IISc and IIM and so, did not need an IIT. He explained: "IISc is not IIT. IISc is a post-graduate and research centre. An IIT is an under-graduate centre. An IISc is not a substitute.''

....

Chairing the session, Professor U R Rao argued against the Centre's stand that Karnataka had an IISc and IIM and so, did not need an IIT. He explained: "IISc is not IIT. IISc is a post-graduate and research centre. An IIT is an under-graduate centre. An IISc is not a substitute.''

Rao had been asked in 1996 by the then HRD minister S R Bommai to recommend locations for new IITs in the 11th Five Year Plan. The committee had recommended Hubli-Dharwad.

....

"Bangalore is ideal for an IIT. We will press for an it in the Parliament session,'' he assured the gathering.

In addition, IISc was India's first PPP project, with land being given by the Mysore Maharaja. They could now explore the possibility of having an IIT on a PPP model, Ananth Kumar suggested.

....

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Educationists_pitch_for_IIT_in_Karnataka/articleshow/3915560.cms

With an emphasis on removing the bottlenecks in all four-lane national highways, development of national highways around Bangalore is something the UPA government is keen to set right, said Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways K H Muniyappa.

....

.... Muniyappa said that during the tenure of UPA Government, massive investment to the tune of about Rs 18,064 crore has been planned for the development of national highways in Karnataka, of which Rs 6,038 crore has already been incurred.

He said that the Centre has decided to take up the proposed expressway project to connect the Outer Ring Road of Bangalore to the Bangalore International Airport under National Highways Development Project of Phase VII on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

Regarding development of Mysore Airport, he said that the ministry had approved re-alignment of NH 212 for upgrading the Airport.

“A permanent solution for Shirdi Ghat Road to lay concrete road for 23 kms stretch has been planned and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is awaiting estimate report from the Government of Karnataka,” he added.

Source: expressbuzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Developing+NH+around+City+top+UPA+agenda%E2%80%99&artid=ml7NJTh2Sgg=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

http://www.kumbangalore.com/uploads/policy/DIC_Eng_Final1.pdf


Bangalore (PTI): With a target to attract Rs 3,00,000 crore investment to generate 10 lakh employment in the next five years, the Karnatka government today unveiled the new industrial policy for 2009-14.

Under the policy, coming into effect from this April one, the government offerred a slew of concessions to new industrial investments, expansion, modernisation and diversification in 166 taluks, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje told reporters after the Cabinet meeting at which the document was approved.

....



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200902281533.htm)

Other recent policies are Textile policy, Renewable Energy Policy, Biofuel policy. And Biotech policy is under renewal.

National highway projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) scheme have found few takers, but state highway projects under the same route are getting record response in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Haryana.

Karnataka, which is offering 22,000 km of roads for development, received response from over 30 companies in the pre-bid conference held on February 28.

....

The Karnataka highway project also has goodies in store for the developers that are not offered by the NHAI. “It envisages, among other things, award of land pockets to the developer to set up roadside amenities like restaurants, which would be a source of ancillary revenue to the company,” said PV Ravi, CEO, Infrastructure and Development Corporation, Karnataka.



Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/states-pip-nhai-in-ppp-road-projects/01/42/350835/)

For an earlier news on this read Core Road Network Planed (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=31461850&postcount=257).

....

Besides the heli-tourism, the department has plans to launch cruise tourism and boathouse tourism to attract more well-to-do visitors to the State, which is promoted as “One State, Many Wonders”.

The Government would be playing the role of a facilitator in the heli-tourism project, which is estimated to cost Rs. 250 crore. It had already invited expression of interest from private entrepreneurs.

....

“The response to the State’s initiative so far has been good. The enquiries are steady. Let us see, how best our efforts will be materialised as we are ready to extend all necessary facilities to supplement the project,” Mr Reddy said.

The circuits

The four tourist circuits identified for the heli-tourism are: Hampi, Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole and Bijapur (Heritage circuit); Mangalore, Udupi, Kundapur, Gokarna and Karwar (Coastal circuit); Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Hassan (Malnad circuit) and Kollur, Udupi, Hornadu, Sringeri, Karkala, Dharmasthala and Kukke Subramanya (Religious circuit).

To facilitate heli-tourism, at least 20 new helipads are being developed across the State and the government had set aside funds for developing roads connecting tourist places in the circuits, which, according to officials, are potential to draw tourists.

....

The base for operating the heli-services would be made at Mangalore for coastal circuit; Shimoga or Mysore for Malnad circuit; Hampi for heritage circuit and Mangalore or Udupi for religious circuit.



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/06/stories/2009030655650600.htm)

Kharagpur (IANS): Pig iron manufacturer Tata Metaliks, which plans to establish an integrated steel plant in Karnataka, has identified land for this some 300 km from Bangalore, a top company official said here on Saturday.

"We had appointed (consultancy firm) Mecon to find a suitable place for us in Karnataka. It has identified the Bellary-Hospet iron belt," said Harsh K. Jha, managing director of Tata Metaliks, a subsidiary of Tata Steel.

....

"We are planning an integrated steel facility that will consist of ductile iron pipe plant and a pig iron plant and may also have a billet plant," he said.

....



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200903071633.htm)

.... the Karnataka Government has now initiated steps to set up a Maritime Board. The State Budget for 2009-10 has announced the allocation of Rs 100 crore for the construction of good ports in the State.

....

All such activities as fisheries, tourism and cargo-handling will get a boost if there is an entity to further and regulate their operations.

....

Karwar and Old Mangalore ports are intermediate ports and the remaining are minor ports under the administrative control of Karnataka Ports Department. Karwar is an all-weather intermediate port having direct berthing facilities for vessels of 9 metres draught and declared for handling all type of export and import commodities.

Old Mangalore is a seasonal intermediate port with direct berthing facilities for coastal vessels of 4.5 metres draught, lighterage and mechanised fishing vessels. The remaining ports are seasonal and function as fair-weather lighterage and fisheries ports. The Karnataka budget for 2009-10 has placed emphasis on the development of Karwar, Tadadi, Honnavar, Malpe and Old Mangalore, through the proposed Maritime Board.

....



Source: The Hindu Business Line (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/03/16/stories/2009031650381200.htm)

http://designatlier.com/helpfiles/img/big.gif

Source: http://designatlier.com/shoppingmall.htm

Thanks to the thermal power plant, the Shaktinagar campus area near Devasugur has grown into a huge town by itself. Several industrialists from neighbouring states are evincing interest in setting up industries in the region.

....

The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has already sold 800 acres of land to the Karnataka Power Corporation. Preparations are on to construct another power plant in the area.

No wonder industrialists are flocking the area and want to acquire more land in the region to set up industry. Today, the Shaktinagar campus is a township by itself.

It has more facilities than the district headquarters of Raichur. There are hospitals, buses, a huge bus-stand, schools and colleges, apart from 24-hour water supply. This makes the place an important development hub. That’s the power of development for you.



Source: Deccan Herald (http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Mar102009/spectrum20090309122986.asp)

The decades-old demand of a rail link between Gulbarga and Bidar got another push when Gulbarga Assistant Commissioner Sangappa announced on Friday that 114 acres of land had been transferred to the Tajsultanpur Railway Department.


Source: expressbuzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Gulbarga-Bidar+railway+line+pushes+ahead&artid=mEnjH/ViIyw=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

The United Breweries Group (UB) has plans to put up a new winery near Bengaluru, which will offer a vineyard, wine-tasting facility, swimming pool, spa and visitor’s room. .. Read More (http://www.exchange4projects.com/FOODPROD/ub-to-introduce-winery-in-karnataka)

Compensation paid for airport expansion
23 Feb 2009, 1857 hrs IST, TNN



DHARWAD: The process of land acquisition for the expansion and upgrading of Hubli airport was set in motion on Sunday with the state government
paying a compensation amount to the owners of houses that were acquired.

Assembly speaker Jagadeesh Shettar, MP Prahlad Joshi and MLA Chandrakant Bellad distributed cheques for a total amount of Rs 13.66 crore to 50 families at a function held at PWD meeting hall here on Sunday evening.

Residents of Unkal, Kumar Park, Mandar Park, Saraswatipura and Renuka Nagar received the cheques.

Speaking on the occasion, Jagadeesh Shettar said the government had in the first phase released Rs 20 crore for payment of compensation to the evacuees. Compensation to the owners of industrial sheds, non-agriculture plots and agriculture lands to be acquired would also be paid without any delay. He thanked the owners of buildings and lands for allowing the acquisition on consent award for the development of Hubli-Dharwad.

The government has agreed to provide 700 acres of additional land adjoining Hubli airport to Airport Authority of India for the expansion of airport. Shettar said that airport development would pave the way for all round development of North Karnataka as Hubli would become a development hub.

He assured the evacuees that they would be provided alternative sites at reasonable prices and their demand for exemption of stamp duty on the sites allotted to them would be favourably considered.

Dharwad North MP Prahlad Joshi urged the speaker to ensure funds for the development of Dharwad railway station on the lines of Hubli station.

Deputy commissioner Darpan Jain and special land acquisition officer Vijay Mahantesh were present.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hubli/Compensation-paid-for-airport-expansion/articleshow/4178277.cms

^^Here is a slight older news on Karnataka's airports


Commissioning of Bidar airport stalled

Bangalore: The plan of the Karnataka government to commission as many district airports as possible within the next few years received a setback with the first of the airports at Bidar, although ready for operation, being put on the backburner by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Sources in the State Secretariat told The Hindu that although the Bidar Civil Airport Terminal was ready in all respects, commercial flight operations could commence only a few months later, provided the Civil Aviation Ministry took a final call on the status of tier-two airports which were in the vicinity of major international airports. Although having a Defence airfield for several decades, Bidar is now argued as being too close to the GMR Hyderabad International Airport, and herein lies the crux of the problem.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who has taken up the issue with the Civil Aviation Ministry, has also told the Union government that there is a clear distinction between an international airport and a tier-two city airport located at a district headquarters. Further, the Bidar airport is located in the State of Karnataka, while the GMR airport is in the neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh. The aim of the State government is to link the district headquarters and the State capital.

Permission sought

Soon after assuming office, Mr. Yeddyurappa announced that most districts in the State would have an airport, apart from the expansion of existing airports at Mysore, Hubli and Belgaum. With Bidar picked as the first district to have a tier-two city airport, the State government sought permission of the Defence Ministry, which was granted in quick time. Thereafter, the government, after reportedly obtaining the consent of the Civil Aviation Ministry, commenced construction of the airport terminal. The State government acquired nearly 120 acres of land and constructed the civil airport terminal at a cost of Rs. 10 crore.

The other four greenfield airports approved in the State are at Gulbarga, Hassan, Shimoga and Bijapur, all of which are Public-Private-Partnership projects. For the Hassan airport, a gateway to important tourist and pilgrimage spots, the State has acquired land, and commercial airlines have indicated that they will gear up to operate small aircraft. Work on the airport at Mysore is also in the final stages, and it is expected to be ready for commissioning in two months.

The State government is also said to have written to the GMR Group asking them to operate the Bidar airport if it felt that no airport within a radius of 150 km of a new greenfield international airport should be granted permission.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/20/stories/2009042053540700.htm) on 20th April 2009

Wildlife camp launches in Karnataka ..... Read More (http://www.exchange4projects.com/TOURISM/wildlife-camp-launches-in-karnataka)


The national park which they have mentioned is it which is located in Mumbai.

Informing this to reporters, Urban Development and Law and Parliamentary Minister Suresh Kumar, on Wednesday said that ADB had agreed to plan and finance the project whose cost is estimated to be around Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore.

The project - to be called ‘Kannada Ganga’ - will be implemented in all the 219 urban habitats that include cities and towns.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=ADB+to+fund+state%E2%80%99s+drinking+water+project&artid=kCdG1qsrhEE=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=)


The objective is to supply drinking water from surface water sources such as tanks, ponds and rivers.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/ADB-to-support-Kannada-Ganga/articleshow/4557594.cms)


A detailed project report containing the works to be undertaken would be prepared. A list of cities and towns and the sources of water such as rivers and reservoirs would be ready. Of the 219 cities, he said 170 were getting water from these sources partially. A large number of areas in 49 others were still being provided with bore well water. Nearly 40 per cent of water goes waste due to leakages in ULBs, he said.



The drinking water project undertaken in Mysore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Mission was being reviewed every month and it would be completed by 2011-12.

Action plans for laying underground drainage line at a cost of Rs.180 crore and drinking water supply line at a cost of Rs.250 crore in Belgaum would be prepared. Eight wards in the city were getting drinking water 24x7 and the facility would be extended to other wards too. Solid waste management work was also under progress in the city.

Seven city corporations in the city had been asked to prepare plans for utilising Rs.119 crore sanctioned by Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa and the same would be completed in three months. Committees set up under the chairmanship of the in-charge ministers of the districts would monitor the progress and quality of the works.


Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=125506)

Karnataka Government on Friday decided to develop more than 250 state highways and major district roads with private participation and levy toll on road users.

The state cabinet, which met here, fixed toll rates for the four-lane and two-lane roads for various category of motor vehicles,


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200905221452.htm)

Chief secretary of state government for agriculture and horticulture departments R Suresh said that six more food parks will come up soon
on the lines of those at Bagalkot, Malur, Hiriyur and Jevargi last year.



The state government is interested to establish a spice park at Byadagi


Soyabean and maize production is increasing in Haveri district and soon decision will be taken to establish a maize processing unit here,


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hubli/6-food-parks-to-come-up-in-Karnataka/articleshow/4561770.cms)

BANGALORE: The Government has decided to allot 1,500 acres of land at Kudapura in Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district to the Indian Institute of Science. The State Cabinet, which met here on Friday, approved the grant of this vast extant of land which would be utilised by the IISc to extend its research activities in science and technology. Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje said there was no question of the Government seeking to acquire farm lands for meeting the request from the IISc. The Government has approved the grant of 14 acres of land to the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy at Hessarghatta in the Bangalore North taluk. While the guidance value for the land has been fixed at Rs. 15 lakh an acre, the Government has allotted land at 50 per cent of guidance value.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/23/stories/2009052354520400.htm)

Karnataka plans to develop 250 toll roads

BANGALORE, May 22, 2009: Karnataka Government on Friday decided to develop more than 250 state highways and major district roads with private participation and levy toll on road users.

The State Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa fixed toll rates for the four-lane and two-lane roads for various category of motor vehicles.

Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje told reporters here that the basic toll rate per kilometre on a four-lane road for cars, jeeps, light motor vehicles, vans would be 65 paise and on two-lane roads it would be fifty paise.

http://mangalorean.com/images/newstemp21/20090522cmmeet1.jpg

Mini-buses and mini goods vehicles will have to pay Rs 1.05 per km for using four-lane road and 75 paise for two-lane. The toll would be Rs 2.20 for buses and trucks on four-lane road and Re 1.50 on two-lane road, she said adding that heavy construction machinery vehicles would be charged Rs 3.45 per km on four-lane road and Rs 2.25 on two-lane roads. Toll will be collected on roads where more than 10,000 vehicles ply, she said.

However, toll will not be collected on existing roads, Karandlaje said.

At an investors meet held in January 28, 2009, the Government had decided to develop a Core Road Network (CRN) of 66,000 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,77,000 crore under the public-private partnership module in the next six years (2009-15).

In the first phase, it was decided to upgrade 10,000 km of State highways and major district roads (MDRs) apart from 12,600 km of village roads in the first phase. The estimated cost for development of 10,000 km of State highways and MDRs is Rs. 31,400 crore. About 40,000 km of roads will be developed in the second phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.08 lakh crore and 16,000 km in the third phase with an investment of Rs. 36,800 crore.

Officials said the 66,000-km CRN would connect Bangalore with other IT hubs such as Mysore, Hassan, Davangere, Hubli, Dharwad, and Mangalore. The objective of the CRN was to promote industrial and urban development and integrate economically backward and remote areas.

All these roads would be toll roads, and toll booths would be established every 50 km. The toll would be based on the rate fixed by the National Highways Authority of India, he said.

Agricultural non-transport vehicles, two and three-wheelers and local short-distance vehicles used only for passenger transport would be exempted from payment of toll. Service roads would be provided for local traffic, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said at present the State had a road network of nearly 2.09 lakh km: 3,978 km of national highways, 20,738 km of State highways, 37,973 km of district roads and 1,47,212 km of village roads.

The CRN would be an all-weather, smooth road network with a minimum two-lane carriageway and feeder roads and four to six lanes near urban settlements.

The roads would be developed under various PPP models such as build operate, transfer; design, build, operate, transfer; and viability gap funding. The developer would be given one acre of land for every five km of road developed for business activities. Land acquisition and development would be undertaken by private entrepreneurs.

A State-level task force headed by the Chief Minister had been constituted to monitor the progress of roads, and committees headed by the deputy commissioners had been constituted for fixation of compensation rates for land acquired for roads.



source http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=125794

Yettinahole (Hassan district): The foundation stone for the first unit (200 MW) of the greenfield Gundia Hydel Power Project was laid by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa at Yettinahole in the Western Ghats, about 18 km from Sakleshpur, on Saturday amidst tight security owing to threat of protests by environmentalists.



The first phase of the project, which will be implemented in about four years at a cost of Rs.1,120 crore, is expected to generate 613 million units of power at the rate of Rs.1.90 a unit.



The project, which has two generating units with a capacity of 200 MW each, will be built across the Gundia river, a tributary of the Kumaradhara, with its source in the Western Ghats near Kudremukh of Chickmaglaur district and which flows through the districts of Hassan and Dakshina Kannada.

About 700 hectares will be submerged, and 168 families will lose their land, including 43 families, which have to be rehabilitated.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/24/stories/2009052460000700.htm)


Speaking on the occasion Mr. Yeddyurappa stated that the project will be built at a cost of Rs. 1119 crores and in the first phase Rs. 959 crores will be spent. It will produce a total of 400 MW using hydro power. He said the water augmented by a series of check dams across the tributaries of Gundia river at Yettina Holay, Kere Holay and Hongadi Halla and through a channel it will be sent to the underground generating station. It will be one of the large hydro power project in the state after Kali, Varahi and Sharavathi.


Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=126052)

Gundia to have snake, amphibian parks


GUNDIA (Hassan District): Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. is planning to set up an amphibian park, a snake park as well as an orchidarium at the Gundia Hydel Power Project site, which is about 26 km from Sakleshpur.


Source: Mangalorean (http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/24/stories/2009052454340400.htm)

The minister said that the cardiac institute will be established within Mysore Medical College campus covering around 10,000 sq ft area.

The Mysore branch having 60-bed facility would start functioning by September this year (2009).

The CM also said that the needed equipment and manpower from Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology would be shifted to the Mysore branch.

Recently, the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has restituted the first floor of the Mysore Medical College.

The minister said that the Hubli's branch will be set up at Hubli-Dharwad, under Karnataka Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) Hubli.


Source: TopNews.in (http://www.topnews.in/karnataka-cm-announces-opening-two-cardiology-centres-mysore-hubli-2170606)

MANGALORE: The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) will undertake a study to explore the technical and financial feasibility of having private contractors take up operation and maintenance of 24x7 water supply system to major towns in the state. This effort of providing 24x7 water supply is presently underway in select wards of Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum city corporations.

Arvind Shrivastava, managing director, KUIDFC told The Times of India here that such a study is being taken up using India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF). Having a corpus of Rs 100 crore, IIPDF has been established with a view that most public-private partnership (PPP) projects require specialist support to ascertain project viability, feasibility and other preparatory works, which need to be funded by the sponsoring department.

Even Mangalore, which is a potential city for higher level of round-the-clock water supply arrangement, would be considered under this study. Observing that the study will bring no financial implication on the state government, he said the Centre would provide 75% funds and Asian Development Bank remaining 25%. The state cabinet recently has up scaled the 24x7 water supply project to all wards in above corporations.

The study will also cover 10 coastal towns, including Mangalore where KUIDFC is implementing Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environmental Management Project. "We will take this study report to councils of civic bodies in the respective towns for their in-principle approval, and go ahead with implementing the project of providing round-the-clock water supply once the councils give their approval, he said.

KUIDFC will also hold a workshop of commissioners of all municipalities within a month to discuss in detail various issues pertaining to solid waste management. Noting that water supply and solid waste management will emerge as key management issues for all civic bodies in the state to handle in the future, the MD said KUIDFC will lend its expertise gathered in these vital areas of effectively managing city's resources.

Most civic bodies are not familiar with operation and maintenance issues and lack the expertise to draft technically sound contracts, which can prove beneficial to them in the long run and reduce any financial burden that may arise as a result of them entering into operation and maintenance contracts. The workshop will also focus on enabling the civic bodies augment their capacity in solid waste management and water supply.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mangalore/KUIDFC-to-study-24x7-water-supply-under-PPP-model/articleshow/4572677.cms)

Read also first post on this page for related news item on water supply.

Raichur (KTK) (PTI): The Karnataka government has targetted to add 5,000 mw of energy into the state's grid in the next five years to ease the power shortage, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said on Tuesday.

The Government has drawn up a plan to augment power generation in the backdrop of the shortage it faced this year, he said after laying foundation stone for the Rs 13,000 crore 2400 mw super thermal power plant at Edilapur, about 10 kms from here.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200905270921.htm)

The amount will be invested to generate around 4,000 mega watts of energy through unconventional sources, Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL), has said.

Speaking to reporters, general manager of KREDL, G Satish, informed that, “The population of Karnataka will increase by 65 million by 2020, 44.4 per cent of which will be in urban areas.” He said, “The per capita consumption in the state which was about 150 units in the 60s now stands at about 325 units. The demand for electrical energy is growing rapidly at eight to nine per cent annually.

There is a need for additional power generation to supplement existing demand,” he informed.

But all the energy demands can’t be met by conventional sources of energy and there is the bigger threat of climate change, he informed.

Hence, he says, “We have stated in our energy policy (which will be released on World Environment Day) that Karnataka has the potential to tap up to 4,000 mega watt of energy through renewable sources. To tap that energy, we are investing around Rs 5 crore to Rs 7 crore for each mega watt.” He also informed that, “Though priority will be given for solar, wind and small hydro-electric projects, there is a suggestion that biogas and biomass can also be utilised for generating electricity.” The energy generated from renewable sources will be connected to the main grid, he added.

Citing an IISc study, he said, “According to the study, Karnataka has a potential of generating up to 1,000 mega watts of energy from biomass units.” “We however, are planning to get around 500 mega watt from biomass units,” he added.


Source: expressbuzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Rs+20,000-crore+investment+plan+for+green+energy&artid=Aq7D8w8/kME=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=)

Bangalore: The state government initiated the development of all major roads in the state as part of its 10,000-km ambitious road development programme launched recently.

"The process will begin on June 6 when we open the technical bids for 52 road development packages,'' minister for public works C M Udasi said here on Wednesday.

As part of this project, Udasi said, the government plans to convert the existing four-lane Bangalore-Mysore highway into a six-laner and extend it to Mangalore via Madikeri. The project will be completed by 2012 following which it plans to make it a toll road, he added. Admitting that Reliance company had evinced interest in a similar project, he said they have no plans of handing over such projects to private parties.

State to seek legal opinion: The government decided to seek legal opinion on the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) order, quashing the appointment of 1,347 engineers recruited by the state to fill backlog vacancies for SCs and STs in various departments. Udasi said the government will decide whether to file an appeal against the KAT order or resort to some other measures to protect the appointments.

The KAT recently struck down the recruitment after some aggrieved persons challenged it alleging irregularities during the recruitment to fill backlog vacancies in 2001.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Road-development-work-begins-on-June-6/articleshow/4586082.cms)

Karnataka government is likely to clear various projects with an investment of close to Rs 5,000 crore shortly. Raj Kumar Khatri, commissioner for industrial development and director, department of industries and commerce said that since January they have received 25 major industrial investment proposals that are expected to be cleared by the high level committee (HLC) next month. HLC clears major investment projects involving an investment of above Rs 50 crore.

Among other major investment projects that are waiting for approval by the state government include a proposal from Sri Renuka Sugars Limited to expand sugar crushing capacity from 5,000 tonnes crushed per day (TCD) to 10,000 TCD at two of their units at Burlahatti in Athani taluk in Belgaum district and Afzalpur in Bijapur district at a combined investment of Rs 250 crore, Khatri told Business Standard. He said the government has also received an application from Bosch Limited to set up a new manufacturing facility for automotive components at an investment of Rs 400 crore. The company intends to set up a new unit near Toyota Kirloskar’s car plant at Bidadi.

The department has also received an application from Premium Farmfresh, a Lalit Suri Group company to set up a terminal market chain for fresh fruits and vegetables at an investment of Rs 400 crore.

The company intends to set up modern marketing chain in places like Belgaum, Hassan, Hoskote and Mysore.

In addition to these, two US-based non-resident Indians (NRIs) have shown interest to set up thermal power projects in Karnataka involving a combined investment of Rs 2,500 crore for generating a total of around 770 MW. The two companies are planning to set up set up thermal power projects in Bijapur district, a senior government official said.

Khatri said the state government is planning to organise the global investors meet in Bangalore in December this year. The meet, which was earlier scheduled to be held in January this year, had to be postponed due to economic slowdown. The government intends to keep ready a land bank of around 160,000 acres across the state before the investors meet. Currently, it has completed the process for acquisition of around 35,000 acres.


Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/state-likely-to-clear-rs-5000-cr-investment/359370/)

SHIMOGA: A new jail complex outside the city will be built by shifting the existing one in the city at a cost of Rs 10 crore.

All developmental work which was held up due to the election code of conduct will be completed before the end of the year, said Lakshminarayan, secretary to govt, attached to supervise developmental works of Shimoga.

He directed officials at the district review meeting to take immediate steps to complete pending works such as the broadening of B H Road, construction of mini Vidhanasoudha, Tunga Bridge, Indoor stadium, private bus stand, medical college, veterinary college, Jog development works and construction of a new airport.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mysore/New-jail-complex-at-Shimoga/articleshow/4557287.cms)

GADAG: Work on the much awaited airstrip in Gadag will finally commence in a few days as land required for the purpose has been identified.

Deputy commissioner Subodh Yadav said around 250 acres of land, suitable for an airstrip, has been identified in Nagasamundra village. The village is about nine km from the district headquarters off Gadag-Ron state highway.

He said initially four places were identified before sending a proposal to the Airport Authority of India (AAI). AAI technical advisor and Karnataka Housing Board engineer conducted a survey of these lands and finalised the plot at Nagasamundra.

Yadav said the process of collecting the data of land owners was also underway. He said the government had given a grant of Rs 2 crore for land acquisition. The KHB will acquire the land after consulting with farmers.

Tourism in the district is expected to get a boost on completion of the airstrip.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hubli/Work-on-Gadag-airstrip-begins-/articleshow/4590373.cms)

70,000 houses for police in Karnataka ... Read More (http://www.exchange4projects.com/REALEST/70000-houses-for-police-in-karnataka)

Work on four food processing parks being set up for an investment of Rs 100 crore in four cities in the state is progressing on schedule. The food parts will start functioning from next year, Karnataka horticulture minister Umesh Katti said.

Inaugurating the Mango and Jackfruit Mela at Lalbagh he said land has been acquired for the proposed food processing parks planned at Kolar, Mysore, Hassan and Belgaum. Parks would be provided all processing facilities, and also conference halls and cold storages. Efforts are being made to restore Karnataka’s leading position in horticultural crops which has seen the state slide to the third place from being the top producer of horticulture crops in the country, he said.

The main objective of developing these food processing parks was to promote exports. A Delhi-based marketing company Western Farm Fresh has come forward to work with the government under the public-private partnership model to set up the parks. An international marketing park on a 77-acre plot in Devanahalli has also been planned, he said.


Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/state-plans-4-food-parks-for-rs-100-cr/359674/)

Read post #283 in this page for planned new food parks.

Chickaballapur: Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily on Sunday said that an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) would be established at Muddenahalli on the outskirts of Chickaballapur.

Addressing a meeting of Congress workers here, Mr. Moily, who represents Chickaballapur in the Lok Sabha, said that he had discussed the matter with Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal. Steps would be taken soon to set up an IIT at Muddenahalli, he said. During his election campaign, Mr. Moily had promised that he would strive to get an IIT established at Muddenahalli, the birthplace of the legendary engineer Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Muddenhalli is all set to occupy a prominent place in the country educational map. Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has also drawn up plans to set up Visvesvaraya Institute of Advanced Technology (VIAT) at Muddenahalli.

According to Higher Education Minister Arvind Limbavali, foundation stone for the VIAT would be laid this month at the 200-acre plot identified for the project. Besides facilitating advanced research in various branches of engineering and technology, the VIAT would offer degree and post-graduate courses.

Further, the Puttaparthi-headquartered Sri Sathya Sai University is also in the process of establishing its campus at Muddenahalli. Sai Baba, the Divine Chancellor of the deemed University, laid the foundation stone for the new campus at Muddenahalli in February this year.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/02/stories/2009060256860500.htm)

Bangalore: The Karnataka government has cleared 64 project proposals involving Rs 1,592.04-crore investment in 16 sectors, which are expected to generate 17,300 jobs in the next few years.

The State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC), headed by Minister for Major Industries Murugesh Nirani, cleared applications for the projects in 16 districts. Bangalore Rural district received the highest investment proposals (Rs. 259.06 crore, 14 projects) which is expected to generate 6,689 jobs while Bangalore Urban district bagged nine projects, involving investment of Rs. 252.86 crore (2,961 jobs).

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, the Minister said 18 proposals had been cleared in sponge iron sector, involving an investment of Rs. 592 crore (2,140 jobs); five proposals in aerospace with investment of Rs. 135.98 crore (1,591 jobs); eight in information technology (Rs. 113.9 crore (6,060 jobs); five in iron and steel (Rs. 91.19 crore); four in energy (Rs. 153.52 crore); three each in food-processing (Rs. 57.91 crore) and logistics (Rs. 137.7 crore); two each in research and development (Rs. 58.5 crore), chemicals (Rs. 23.65 crore), and hotel (Rs. 52 crore), one each in agro-processing (Rs. 3.3 crore), engineering (Rs. 8.2 crore), effluent treatment plant (Rs. 4.9 crore), and pharmaceuticals (Rs. 14 crore).

Bangalore-based aerospace companies such as Systems Controls, G.L. Polyurethane Company Private Ltd., Micron Engineers, Priyaraj Electronics Limited and Pacific Natura Biotech Private Limited would invest in aerospace component units at the Aerospace Industrial Area at Deveanahalli, near Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the Minister said.

Out of the eight IT parks, two would come up at Yeshwantpur in Bangalore North taluk, five at Devanahalli in Bangalore Rural district and one at Gollahalli in Bangalore North taluk. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board had acquired land for the IT parks.

S.S. Tech Park, Venkateshwara Enterprises, Bee Zee Enterprises, Krishna Enterprises, R.R. Enterprises, DRK Enterprises and United Micro Electronics Solutions Limited, all from Bangalore, would set up IT parks in Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural districts.

A firm of R. Praveen Chandra, Bangalore would set up service handling of bulk cargo of river jetty barges in Kumta taluk of Uttara Kannada district on 800 acres with an investment of Rs. 48.82 crore.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/02/stories/2009060259480900.htm)

DAVANGERE: The Davangere City Corporation has sent a Rs. 50-crore proposal to the Sate Government for restoration and beautification of over 100 parks in Davangere city, B. Lokesh, Deputy Mayor of Davangere, has said.

Mr. Lokesh told presspersons here on Tuesday that the parks included those which had become garbage dumping yards and encroached upon.

The corporation in association with the Davangere Nirmiti Kendra had identified parks which had become garbage dumping yards and encroached upon, and restored them. In several residential areas in the city, land earmarked for parks were being used to dump garbage or were encroached upon. Such parks were restored and fenced at a cost of Rs. 10 crore sanctioned for the corporation as part of the Chief Minister’s special grant. As fencing and laying of pathways in these parks had almost been completed, a Rs. 50-crore proposal has been sent to the Government for comprehensive development all the parks in the city, Mr. Lokesh said.

Borewells would be sunk to provide water facility for the parks. The corporation was planning to request the Horticulture Department to send an expert team from Lalbagh in Bangalore to Davangere to develop parks in the city. He said that the Congress councillors were indulging in propaganda that Bharatiya Janata Party councillors were harassing people on the pretext of developing parks.

Mr. Lokesh asked whether clearing encroachments from land earmarked for parks or other public utility projects was a wrong. Congress councillors were making baseless allegations, he said and added that he would invite Congress councillors, including Dinesh Shetty and Shivakumar, for a public debate on development of parks and various other development works undertaken by the corporation.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/03/stories/2009060355360300.htm)

The five long-pending railway projects in Karnataka, for which the State government has proposed to share 50 per cent of the cost, are likely to see the light of the day with the Union government promising to consider releasing funds for them in the forthcoming Railway Budget.



The five projects where the State government has already released funds are doubling of line between Bangalore-Ramanagaram and Mysore; new line between Kottur-Harihar; Shimoga-Talaguppa gauge conversion; new lines between Munirabad-Mehboobnagar and the same between Bidar-Gulbarga. “The minister has assured us that the cost-sharing projects will be expedited and Central funds will be released,” K H Muniyappa, Minister of State for Railways, who accompanied Yeddyurappa, told Deccan Herald.


Source: Deccan Herald (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/5993/hopes-rise-rail-projects-karnataka.html)

Mr. Kharge, elected from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency, asked Mr. Yeddyurappa to allocate 30 acres of land in Gulbarga for the extension of the local medical college hospital. The Chief Minister promised to consider it.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/03/stories/2009060357300100.htm)

Projects are in energy, food processing, and IT, among others

Over 30 major proposals received in last 3 months

All proposals involve investments of over Rs. 50 crore


BANGALORE: The Karnataka government is likely to clear next week projects involving an investment of Rs. 12,000 crore.

The State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC), headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, is expected to meet on June 12 to clear pending mega investment proposals in various sectors. All proposals involve investments of over Rs. 50 crore.

Minister for Medium and Large Scale Industries Murugesh Nirani told The Hindu that the Commerce and Industries Department had received more than 30 major investment proposals during the last three months and all proposals were expected to be cleared by SHLCC meeting on June 12.

The SHLCC could not meet in the last few months as the model code of conduct was in force. Several projects in energy, food processing, iron and steel, information technology, engineering and hospitality sectors would get the committee’s nod, he said.

Sri Renuka Sugars Limited had submitted a proposal seeking to double the sugarcane crushing capacity to 10,000 tonnes a day at its plant in Athani taluk of Belgaum district. It involved an investment of Rs. 250 crore.

In the energy sector, Delta Power Group had proposed to set up a 500 MW thermal power plant at Kudgi in Bijapur district with an investment of Rs. 500 crore. The U.S.-based Katari Group had also shown interest to set up a thermal power plant in Bijapur district. Water to the proposed power projects would be supplied from the Alamatti Dam in the district, the Minister said.

NTPC inks pact

The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd. had signed an agreement with State government to set up a 4,000 MW thermal plant at Kudgi.

The government had received a proposal from Bosch Limited to establish a new manufacturing facility for automotive component with an investment of Rs. 400 crore.

Premium Farm Fresh Limited of the Delhi-based Lalit Suri Group had proposed to set up a terminal market chain of fresh fruits and vegetables at an investment of Rs. 400 crore.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/04/stories/2009060456130700.htm)

BANGALORE: Wipro chairman Azim Premji is investing in a private university - expected to cost Rs 200 crore - exclusively for educationists and Wipro office and software premises teachers in Karnataka, state higher education minister Arvind Limbavalli told ET.

“Azim Premji is starting a private university, to be named after him, that will not only train teachers, but even the administrators and non-teaching staff of the education department”, said Mr Limbavali. The project is likely to be cleared by the Cabinet soon.

The education ministry is also coming up with a slew of projects to reform higher education apart from this. Limbavali said the government will set up 138 colleges including engineering, polytechnic and degree ones with a total investment of Rs 1,000-crore over the next three to four years.

“My target is to improve the enrollment ratio in higher education from 60% right now to 75%”, he said. Expressing concern about the job crunch faced by fresh graduates due to the economic slowdown, Limbavali said he is talking about a public-private initiative called Sahayog under which companies will help train students within college.

“I have called about 30-40 CEOs of software companies and other sectors, who will set up training centres in government colleges. They can train students in the college itself , save the training period and provide students with better job prospects, when they come out”, he said. Some firms that are taking part in this initiative are Wipro, Infosys, Cisco and Dell, among others, who will provide training in 35 colleges across Karnataka.


Source: Economic Times (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Services/Education/Azim-Premji-set-to-invest-in-private-university/articleshow/4615684.cms)

HASSAN: Managing Director of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) Ramalinge Gowda performed “bhumi puja” for a Rs. 36-crore cattle feed manufacturing unit to be built on the Hassan dairy premises on Thursday.

Addressing presspersons on the occasion, Mr. Ramalinge Gowda said funds for the cattle feed manufacturing unit would be provided by the National Dairy Development Board. The unit would manufacture 300 tonnes of feed a day. Apart from Hassan, there were cattle feed units in Gubbi, Bangalore and Dharwad. These units manufactured 25,000 tonnes of feed daily, while there was a demand for 40,000 tonnes. Another unit to manufacture 500 tonnes of cattle feed would come up near Bangalore shortly.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/05/stories/2009060551170300.htm)

Bangalore, which stands amongst the top three textile and garment centre’s in the country does not have a well established spinning sector, alleged Mr V. Thiagaraj, Director of Sona Valliappa Textiles at a press conference.

He said, the textile industry in Karnataka lacks in backward integration due to which it has to source raw material requirements from other centres. Giving an example he said, yarn and fabric is sourced from Tamil Nadu and processing of fabric is done in Ahmedabad.

After which the ready made garment is manufactured in Bangalore entailing a huge waste of time and money. He said the need of the hour is to set up integrated textile parks in Karnataka to save resources and lead times


Source: Fibre2fashion (http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=73373)

Raichur: Chairman of the High Power Committee for Implementation of the Recommendations of the Nanjundappa Committee Shashil G. Namoshi, MLC, said here on Saturday that the committee has finalised a Rs. 2,578-crore action plan for the development of the backward and the most backward regions of the State as per the recommendations of Dr. Nanjundappa Committee.

Mr. Namoshi told presspersons that the action plan prepared for the current fiscal year was two-and-a-half times more than the previous year’s action plan. Development of 114 backward taluks in the State would be taken up, he added.

Last year only Rs. 1,352 crore of the total sanctioned amount of Rs. 1,700 crore was used. This year the committee will initiate steps to implement the action plan fully. Priority would be to improve schools.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/07/stories/2009060754650300.htm)

Projects Today reported that the Central Government's renewed interest in the 4,000 MW ultra mega thermal power plant coming up on 3,000 acre at Tadadi in Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka has got the project back on track.

The Centre has asked the State to address the power deficit situation on a war-footing. The project is expected to have five units each of 800 MW and to cost INR 20,000 crore.

However, the project was kept on hold as the environmentalists and elected representatives opposed the move to use water from the local river for the thermal power plant and dispose of hazardous ash at the project site itself. With this, the Centre has decided to use desalinated seawater for the power plant and dump fly ash at a place far from the project site.


Source: Steel Guru (http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/06/06/OTcyNDA%3D/Central_Government_shows_interest_in_Tadadi_project.html)

Maytas Infra has said it will start the construction of Greenfield airports at Gulbarga and Shimoga soon. The company’s board, it said, is working on a plan for Hyderabad metro and Machilipatnam Port projects. “The Gautami Power Project in Andhra Pradesh has successfully commenced operations,” Maytas said.


Source: moneycontrol (http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/business/maytas-infra-to-start-construction2-greenfield-airports/401082)

Five extensions in Shimoga City

PM News Bureau

The Shimoga Urban Development Authority will develop five new extensions in Shimoga city in Karnataka. SUDA will also distribute 5,359 sites to civilians - 717 sites in Tevarachatnahalli, 409 sites in Nidige Machenahalli, 2,316 sites in Alkola housing scheme, 1,380 in phase-II of Sominakoppa and 537 sites in Urugadur phase-I.
SUDA will spend Rs 14.23 crore for taking up developmental works in these extensions and Rs 10.81 crore has been earmarked for land acquisition in Alkola, Sominakoppa and Urugadur.


http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=7869

The Karnataka government is devising a new tourism policy to give a boost to health and heritage tourism in the state. As a part of heritage tourism, the state government is planning to promote a project at Hampi on 235 acre, which will have a five star hotel with 200 rooms, budget hotel, restaurant, entertainment areas and other tourism related activities. The project will attract investment worth Rs 800-1000 Crore.

Under the policy, the state government has proposed two mega health and heritage tourism projects, which are likely to attract investments worth Rs 1800 Crore to Rs 2000 Crore respectively. One of the health city is proposed to come up on 300 acre near Bengaluru International Airport, which will have super-speciality hospitals for neurology, cardiology, rehabilitation centres for alcohol and drug addicts, ayurveda hospital and hotels. The health city will be developed in the next two-three years through PPP mode where the state government will act as a facilitator and provide land while investment worth Rs 1000 Crore is expected to come from private players.


Source: Hospitality Biz India (http://www.hospitalitybizindia.com/detailNews.aspx?aid=5120&sid=1)

MANGALORE: Large and Medium Scale Industries Minister Murugesh Rudrappa Nirani has allayed fears that the Global Investors’ Meet scheduled for the end of this year in Bangalore will be adversely affected by the global economic slowdown. The meet which was earlier scheduled for January this year was postponed owing to the recession.

Addressing presspersons on the sidelines of a Mysore divisional-level industrial adalat here on Wednesday, Mr. Nirani said the Government would seek investments worth Rs. 3 lakh crore during the summit.

Land bank

One of the man priorities for the State Government was land acquisition, he said and added that over 1.5 lakh acres (between 500 and 5,000 acres in each district) of single-crop agricultural land would be acquired by the State Government to promote industrial growth. “We hope to acquire this land ahead of the investors’ summit,” he said.

Mr. Nirani also said that the acquired land would be consolidated in the form of a “land bank” that could be allocated for industrial purposes on need basis.

The State Government was also trying to reacquire unutilised land that had been allotted for industrial purposes. “Such land that has been lying idle for the last 10 years will be reacquired by the Government and reallocated for viable business propositions.”

Steel, cement, automobiles, readymade garments, food processing, chemical and IT/BT industries would be given special focus in the summit, he added.

The State Government also planned to establish an industrial corridor connecting Bangalore, Davangere, Hubli and Belgaum districts to the business hubs of Chennai and Mumbai, by road. The lands being acquired for the land bank would be situated mostly along this corridor, Mr. Nirani said. The corridor would be developed on Public-Private-Partnership model. The State Government had already received 19 Expression of Interest letters from various companies that seek to build infrastructure along the corridor, he said.

Mr. Nirani also said the new industrial policy for the State would be adopted formally in the coming days. “We have already circulated details of this policy to various trade and industrial bodies. But we could not formally announce or adopt the policy as the election code of conduct was in force,” he added.

Subir Hari Singh, Principal Secretary, Industry and Commerce, was present on the occasion.



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/11/stories/2009061158290300.htm)

Bangalore (PTI): Karnataka Government plans to acquire 50,000 acres of land for setting up industrial units before the proposed global investors' meet later this year.

The government had already passed an order to acquire 8,000 acres of land, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told a state-level conference of the district chambers of commerce and other associations here.

"We have decided to acquire 50,000 acres before the global investors meet. We have already identified the land," he said.

Yeddyurappa also said draft of the state's new tourism policy was ready and the government would approve it after eliciting views of the trade.

"We have already taken steps to float global tender to promote heli-tourism (tourism activities using helicopters)," he added.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200906131852.htm)

Bangalore : Karnataka has emerged as India's number one state in implementing `Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana', a road development scheme under the Union rural development ministry.

"Impressed by the scheme's success in the state, the Centre had released an additional Rs 810 crore," rural development and panchayat raj minister Shobha Karandlaje said on Friday.

She said the government had released Rs 6O0 crore under the scheme earlier this year. "With this amount, we have developed roads in rural areas up to 2,070 km," she added.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Karnataka-No-1-state-in-road-development-scheme-/articleshow/4650554.cms)

BANGALORE: Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) is all set to promote Karnataka as a Golf Destination to attract high-end travelers both from India and abroad. Bangalore, Mysore, Madikeri, Belgaum, Chikmagalur and Mangalore have been identified as golf destinations in the state and many more would be added.

The Golden Chariot luxury train would be the brand mascot for golf destination promotion.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=KSTDC+aims+at+golf+tourism&artid=osxrTrcncvI=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=ngGbWGz5Z14=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=KSTDC)

By Team Mangalorean Bangalore

Bangalore June 13, 2009: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today said the State Government planned to create a land bank of over 50,000 acre for industrial, trade and commercial use.

Addressing an interactive session of the all the District Chambers of Commerce and Industry, organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCI) here, Mr Yeddyurappa said the State Government had already pooled 8,000 acre for the proposed Land Bank.

The government had identified another 50,000 acre of land across the State as reserve for allotment to entrepreneurs who would invest in the State, he said, adding completion of acquisition for the Land Bank proposal would be done before holding the Global Investors Meet scheduled tentatively during October-November this year.

http://mangalorean.com/images/newstemp21/20090613fkci3.jpg


Stating Karnataka offered rich tourism potential, the Chief Minister said the government would come out with a Draft Tourism Policy to make the State an attractive tourist destination and lure investment to develop infrastructure. ''The Draft Policy would be announced soon,'' he said adding the State Tourism Department was also working on Helitourism for which global tenders were being invited.

Develop Bellary

ASSOCHAM President and Jindal Industries Chairman Sajjan Jindal today appealed the Karnataka Government to develop Bellary district, destined with rich natural resources, as the country's steel and auto hub.

Addressing an interactive session of the District Chambers of Commerce and other Associations in Karnataka here, Mr Jindal said Bellary district, destined with abundant Iron Ore and other natural resources, have rich potential to be made as the country's steel and auto hub.

Demanding the State Government to discourage export of mining resources and promote manufacturing of value added products, Mr Jindal said it would help to create large amount of public wealth and generate employments.

''The rich mineral resources should be used for the benefit of the people of the region and the state'' he added.

''Mining of iron ore from the district can also help to beat the impact of global economic meltdown and recession'' Mr Jindal opined.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and State Planning Commission Deputy Chairman D H Shankaramurthy also attended the function.



http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=129719

To attract investment in Tier II and Tier III cities: Nirani

1,50,682 acres of private land and 9,356 acres of government land identified

‘Objective is to decongest industrial areas located in and around Bangalore’

BANGALORE: The State Government has identified 1.6 lakh acres of land in 26 districts for industrial projects.

A total of 1,50,682 acres of private land and 9,356 acres of government lands had been identified. Minister for Major and Medium Industries Murugesh R. Nirani told The Hindu that the department had taken initiatives to attract investment in Tier II and Tier III cities by identifying land in districts, particularly in north Karnataka, to set up industries. Another objective was to decongest industrial areas located in and around Bangalore.

As many as 28,908 acres had been identified in Bagalkot district, followed by 26,504 acres in Bijapur district, 13,000 acres in Mysore district and 11,000 acres in Ramangara district. Only barren and single crop cultivable lands had been identified for the acquisition.

Acquired lands would be given to industrialists or investors to set up industries in 10 sectors — steel, cement, food processing, automobile, information technology/biotechnology, apparels, pharmaceutical, sugar and cogeneration, power, media and entertainment.

The new industrial policy (2009-14) of the State targeted to provide employment to 10 lakh persons in the next five years. It aimed to increase the share of industry to the State Gross Domestic Product to 20 per cent by the year 2014 and double the State’s exports, Mr. Nirani said.

Land identified in other districts is as follows: Bangalore Rural 1,100 acres; Belgaum 6,540; Bellary 9,298; Bidar 2,500; Chamarajanagar 1,025; Chickaballapur 2,047; Chikmagalur 1,200; Chitradurga 1,902; Dakshina Kannada 3,336; Dharwad 4,297; Davangere 8,268; Gadag 500; Haveri 2,570; Hassan 944; Kolar 8,250; Koppal 10,000; Mandya 1,849; Raichur 2,063; Shimoga 3,742; Tumkur 3,200; Udupi 5,946, and Uttara Kannada 50 acres.

Officials have not identified any government land in Bangalore Rural, Bellary, Bidar, Dakshina Kannada, Gadag, Gulbarga, Haveri, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Mysore districts. No private land had been identified for acquisition in Chickaballapur, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur, and Uttara Kannada districts.

To avoid delay in the land acquisition process, the Government had given powers to deputy commissioners to take steps for land acquisition, including issuing notifications under the Karnataka Land Acquisition Act. The State Government would restrict its role to formal clearance for land acquisition, if required, he said.

Currently, the Bangalore Urban district had the highest number of large and medium-scale industries (375) followed by Bangalore Rural (74), Mysore (56), and Bellary (48). Totally, there were 779 large and medium units in the State which provided employment to 36 lakh people, the Minister said.



Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/15/stories/2009061553320300.htm)

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Dive Club was launched on Sunday to create a platform for diving professionals, organisations and interested individuals.

The club aims to foster scuba diving tourism and contribute to environmental awareness.

Expected to grow

Scuba diving was expected to grow exponentially in India over the next two to three years, and the dive club would assist in protection of marine ecology by imbibing internationally accepted norms for divers, a spokesperson told The Hindu.

Netrani, a small island in the Arabian Sea, 18 km offshore from Murudeshwar, which has rich marine biodiversity, is among the many places that has potential to host scuba diving activities.

Speakers at the launch spoke on how to popularise scuba diving tourism and the potential of Netrani as a destination for interested divers. The dive club would try to identify other places suitable for diving in Karnataka, the spokesperson said.

Certification

Persons present at the launch included vice-president of Asia Pacific of Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) Henrik Nimb and Regional Manager for India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka Tony Andrews. On the occasion, PADI announced assistance in certification of divers, which would help in conservation of marine life.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/15/stories/2009061559140500.htm)

BANGALORE: India is being applauded for taking a bold step with its 'solar mission plan'. The state government, however, is yet to come up with its own draft renewable energy policy.

The state government had earlier promised that the draft renewable energy policy would be released on January 1, 2009. It's been six months and there is no sign of the draft.

"We have given the draft for wider consultation and that's the reason it's getting delayed," says principal secretary (energy department) K Jairaj. "The department has been getting an excellent response and we are reaching out to people for wider consultation," he said. The Centre had earlier directed all states, especially those that face power shortage, to prepare their drafts for renewable energy policy.

When reminded that the draft has been due for six months, he said: "We do not want to make it a hit and run affair." According to Jairaj, the initial plan included just the wind and hydel energy projects, when they had announced to launch it on January 1. "Later, we realised there was a great potential for solar and biomass energy as well," he said.

The government, in the next five years, is expecting an investment of around Rs 20,000 crore in the renewable energy sector.

"This being the case, we want to be cautious while finalising the draft," Jairaj said, hinting that the policy may be finalised by July-end, after which there would be a consultation meeting with stake-holders, including energy companies and NGOs, among others.

The meeting is likely to be held by this month end, Divya Raghunandan, campaign director of Greenpeace India, said.

FKCCI energy committee chairman, M G Prabhakar alleged that they were not given enough time to study the policy. "We were given only four to five days to comment on this issue. As a result, we couldn't add any value to it," he stated.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Karnataka+policy+draft+delayed&artid=eOVtWwfyLvs=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=)

The state-owned Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) has shortlisted seven international firms to provide consultancy services for the expansion of Karnataka Urban Water Sector Improvement Project (KUWASIP) at an estimated cost of Rs 735 crore in three north Karnataka cities.

This follows the successful completion of a World Bank-assisted 24/7 drinking water supply project in the cities of Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum and Gulbarga. The new operator will be finalised in the next two weeks.

Aravind Srivastav, managing director of KUIDFC said, “In response to our advertisement seeking expression of interest seven firms have shown interest. The shortlisted companies will be issued a request for proposal and ask them to submit their detailed project report, which will take around six months. Once they submit their DPRs, the exact investment required for this project will be known and based on the report corporation will complete the bidding process and appoint an operator to execute the project.”

The project will be executed as a public-private partnership model. Under the PPP model, the project will have 20 per cent funding from the state and Centre governments respectively, 10 per cent from the respective municipal corporations and the balance 50 per cent will be put in by the private operator. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2013-14 and every citizen of these three North Karnataka cities will have safe water 24/7.

Srivastav said the KUIDFC has also initiated talks with the World Bank to extend further loan to take up the expansion work. “We have had preliminary talks with the World Bank. The bank has expressed its willingness to participate. They may finance on behalf of the state government. But, nothing is finalised yet,” he said.

KUWASIP is the first phase of a long term programme, to be implemented in phases, to reform urban water supply and sanitation sector initiated by Karnataka government as a pilot for an investment of Rs 237 crore, 75 per cent of which is a loan from the World Bank.

The primary objective of the project was to demonstrate the feasibility of continuous, pressurised (24/7) water supply in small areas of the selected project cities called “demonstration zones”.

In 2004, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), a state undertaking, was appointed as nodal agency to carry out a demonstration project.


Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kuidfc-shortlists-7-firms-for-24x7-water-project/361049/)

22.43% of total investment plans expressed by India Inc. in fiscal 2008-09 were cornered by Western Region since States and UTs in it have investor’s friendly policies. The share of South in it has been 16.89% and that of North 15.83%. East, Central and North East share in attracting investment proposals from corp India has respectively be been at 12.35%, 6.99% and 2.22%, reveal findings of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).



The southern states of India with high literacy rate and skilled labour-force occupied 2nd position on the AIM’s list contributing a share of 16.89 per cent in total proposed investments by India Inc. during 2008-09. Among the state lying in the region, Karnataka received highest proposals of investment by domestic players worth Rs. 97,728 crore. It was followed by Andhra Pradesh (Rs. 73,114 crore), Tamil Nadu (Rs. 55,273 crore), Kerala (Rs. 3,598 crore) and the Union Territory of Pudducherry (Rs. 27 crore).


Source: WebNEWSWIRE (http://www.webnewswire.com/node/458044)

^^^^ great one//////

jai karnataka....

Source: WebNEWSWIRE (http://www.webnewswire.com/node/458044)

Investment Prospects in Indian Economy in 2008-09: Karnataka leads South India

22.43% of total investment plans expressed by India Inc. in fiscal 2008-09 were cornered by Western Region since States and UTs in it have investor’s friendly policies. The share of South in it has been 16.89% and that of North 15.83%. East, Central and North East share in attracting investment proposals from corp India has respectively be been at 12.35%, 6.99% and 2.22%, reveal findings of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

The southern states of India with high literacy rate and skilled labour-force occupied 2nd position on the AIM’s list contributing a share of 16.89 per cent in total proposed investments by India Inc. during 2008-09. Among the state lying in the region, Karnataka received highest proposals of investment by domestic players worth Rs. 97,728 crore. It was followed by Andhra Pradesh (Rs. 73,114 crore), Tamil Nadu (Rs. 55,273 crore), Kerala (Rs. 3,598 crore) and the Union Territory of Pudducherry (Rs. 27 crore).
Source: WebNEWSWIRE

^^^^ its a huge investment

Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS), KPMG, Infrastructure Development Corporation Karnataka Ltd (iDeCK) and IDBI are among the 19 companies that have evinced interest in providing consultancy services to Karnataka on developing the proposed industrial corridors along National Highways 4 and 7 to attract investment and create employment opportunities for people in North Karnataka.

According to Murugesh Nirani, Karnataka’s minister for large and medium industries, the industrial corridors will be developed on the public-private partnership model.

Recently, the state government had invited an expression of interest from reputed consultancy firms to prepare detailed project report and advise the state government on the model to execute the new industrial corridor projects.

“Apart from these two Indian companies we have also received a proposal from an internationally-reputed foreign agency to participate in the project. We are evaluating their proposals and will soon finalise the bids,” Nirani told Business Standard.

The industrial corridors are planned along the Chennai-Mumbai national highways via Bangalore, Davanagere, Hubli, Belgaum and Pune. Cities falling on the National Highways NH-4 and NH-7 like Bangalore to Belgaum will be developed as a major corridor and Bangalore to Bidar on NH-7, Shimoga to Davanagere and Shimoga to Mangalore. It has been planned to create industrial townships in seven sectors like steel, cement, textile, automobile, food processing, oil & chemicals and fertiliser.

The minister said cement industries will be encouraged in Gulbarga, Bagalkot and Chitradurga, iron and steel industries in Bellary, Koppal and Tumkur. Automobile industries will be promoted in Belgaum, Hubli and Mysore. Meanwhile, Bangalore will be promoted further as a preferred destination for information technology and biotechnology, electronics and general engineering. He said, basic infrastructure will be upgraded in these cities to enable industry to progress. Star category industries will be provided facilities including residential townships and other infrastructure.

In addition, Nirani said centres of horticulture like Bagalkot, Bijapur, Belgaum, Shimoga districts could have food processing units.

A foundry zone will be developed in Belgaum. The government is in the process of identifying 500 acres on the outskirts of Belgaum for the proposed foundry park. Land acquisition is in progress, he said.

Nirani said the government will also complete the land acquisition process before holding the long-pending Global Investors Meet (GIM) in Bangalore in December.

The GIM will be held in December this year. The government is in the process of finalising the knowledge partner, event partner and media partner for the event.


Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/industrial-corridor-19-firms-show-interest/361151/)

BANGALORE: The Centre has refused to give permission to the 167-km Hubli-Ankola railway project, which was to cut through 750 hectares of Uttara Kannada district’s lush green forest. Sources said the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment has denied clearance to the project citing environmental reasons, sources in the state forest department said.


The Rs 1,000-crore project, for which the foundation stone was laid by the then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1999, was considered to improve the transportation of iron ore from Bellary mines to Mangalore and Karwar ports and also agriculture produce from the north Karnataka districts to other parts of the state.

However, it met with stiff opposition by environmentalists and by the state forest department since it would the project would have required the destruction of around 750 acres of forest land and felling of around 2.65 lakh trees to lay the tracks. The forest department, on the contrary, had suggested a realignment to line parallel to the National Highway.

Meanwhile, acting on a PIL filed by environmentalists from Uttara Kannada, the Supreme Court ordered a stay on the project.

With the recent visit of the Union Minister Jairam Ramesh to Karnataka, the state government once again had appealed to him to look into the issue.

Sources told Express that the Union Minister cancelled the project and in about a day or two would be issuing a final order in this regard, thus dashing hopes of the government which was confident of getting it cleared this time around.

A senior official from the forest department said, ``We are very happy that the project has been stopped since we have been opposing it for a long time.’’ He said the forests where the proposed railway line was supposed to come up, ``was one of the best forests we have’’.

He said the would have have cut across the whole Western Ghats, leaving a trail of disaster for both its ecology and the environment.

He said the proposed project was line was in the heart of the area where there is animal activity. Bisons and elephants roam these areas, he said. ``Hence, we would never allow of the forest to be bifurcated and to lose a big chunk of the natural forests,’’ he said.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Hubli-Ankola+rail+line+scrapped&artid=gNg6zyuNRDM=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Investment Prospects in Indian Economy in 2008-09: Karnataka leads South India

^^^^ its a huge investment

Yes. It is second only to Gujarath.

The Karnataka government has allocated Rs 180 crore for taking up various tourism projects.

Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) managing director Vinay Luthra said the department would use the money for adding new rooms at a cost of around Rs 50 crore and upgrading the existing hotels for Rs 10 crore.

KSTDC owns 16 hotels and runs 20 on a franchisee basis. The department is planning to add 26 rooms in Coorg and 10 rooms in Srirangapatinam. In Ooty, it is constructing a hotel with an investment of Rs 5 crore.

Besides, it is planning to privatise 23 roadside facilities on a repair, own and manage basis. “To upgrade the roads, which connects important tourist destinations, the government has allocated Rs 30 crore,” he said. Another Rs 30 crore has been allocated to renovate an important Sikh temple in Bidar in North Karnataka and Rs 20 crore for marketing purpose.

Since Hampi is an important tourist destination, the government has given a grant of Rs 32 crore to create various infrastructure projects and to buy battery-operated vehicles. The department is also planning to set up 23 helipads with an investment of Rs 10-15 lakh each at various destinations to promote heli tourism in the state. This would be mainly to attract foreign tourist.

Luthra said eight companies had shown interest in the project including Deccan Aviation and HAL.

The department would also promote cruise tourism by bringing a ship, which will have casinos and other entertainments on board. For this, it plans to rope in a foreign partner. The Mangalore port has been identified to facilitate the proposed tourism.


Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/k%5Ctaka-allocates-rs-180cr-for-tourism-projects/361217/)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured the former Prime Minister and Hassan MP, H.D. Deve Gowda, that Rs. 64 crore will be released for Hassan-Bangalore railway line project.

In a representation made to the Prime Minister recently, Mr. Gowda said that Rs. 300 crore was required for completing the project.

The 172-km Hassan-Bangalore railway line project was sanctioned in 1996 during Mr. Gowda’s tenure as Prime Minister. The line will pass through Shravanabelagola, Yediyur, Kunigal and Nelamangala.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/17/stories/2009061752390300.htm)

Karnataka government would unveil its revised biotech (BT) policy in the next 20 days, announced State Minister for Information, IT and BT Katta Subramanya Naidu.

The revised policy would incorporate recommendations made by the state's vision group on BT led by Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, he said at the inaugural function of Bangalore Bio 2009, an exhibition showcasing the biotech industry.

Karnataka was the first state to announce Millennium biotech policy in 2001. The revised policy would have incentives for the sector, a thrust in creation of BT infrastructure, enhancing skills to suit industry demands and creating and nurturing centres of excellence.

"Karnataka would like to attract more investments in tier two and tier three cities", he added and is pushing for development of these cities.

In pursuance of these objectives it proposes to set up exclusive Biotechnology (BT) parks such as agri-biotech at Dharwad at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, Marine BT at Mangalore (Rs 70 Cr), Animal House at Bidar (Rs 30 cr), Netura and Phyto-pharmaceuticals biotech at Mysore (Rs 110 cr).

These biotech parks would be developed in collaboration with institutions like UAS-Dharad, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries University, Bidar and CFTRI, Mysore. He also informed that the proposal is awaiting cabinet approval.


Source: Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/karnataka-to-unveil-revised-biotech-policy/64989/on)

India's largest sugar refiner Shree Renuka Sugars, has decided to expand its sugar refining capacity at its Athani unit in Karnataka to 2,000 ton per day. The facility presently has capacity of 1000 tonnes per day.

Apart from this, the company intends to setup up a sugar refining capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day at its Havalga unit, in Karnataka. Both plants are expected to be commissioned by December this year.


Source: TopNews (http://www.topnews.in/shree-renuka-sugars-expand-capacity-2179670)

MYSORE: Devanahalli and Chikballapur, which produced 50 per cent of the state's silk last season, have registered a fall in production as thousands of acres have been acquired for the development of the Bangalore International Airport (BIA).

The boom in real estate, industrialisation and urbanisation in the international airport area has the farmers, weavers and sericulture scientists worried.

Kolar and Chikballapur districts produce high quality cocoon and silk due to the ideal climatic conditions and soil fertility present in the area.

Though Karnataka still produces 50 per cent of the nation’s silk, there is growing gap between demand and production.

According to Central Sericulture Research Training Institute (CSRTI), India produced 16,000 metric tonnes of silk against a demand of 26,000 metric tonnes. The scarcity of silk has resulted in dependence on China.

In a bid to compensate the loss that has occurred from the development of Devanahalli and Chikballapur, the CSRTI has planned to extend sericulture to North Karnataka.

CSRTI Director SMH Khadri said they were successful in identifying and promoting sericulture in Ranebennur, Chitradurga, Bidar and neighbouring parts. He said many farmers have been successful and would switch to sericulture in the next couple of years.

CSRTI has set a target of 1,500 metric tonnes of bivoltine cocoon in the next five years by expanding the area of cultivation.

The CSRTI has came out with a popular variety of mulberry and will release a genotype (G4), Sahana (S13) and alcoline resistant (AR12) varieties in phases to suit different climatic conditions.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=BIA+development+hits+silk+production&artid=odknUn/vgRA=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Bangalore, Jun 18 : The Karnataka Government today terminated its agreement with Maytas Infra Consortium, a firm promoted the son of Satyam scamster B Ramalinga Raju, for building airports in Gulbarga and Shimoga.

The announcement comes amid reports that the Andhra Pradesh government is likely to cancel the ambitious Hyderabad metro rail project awarded to a consortium led by Maytas for failing to achieve financial clousure of the project.

Explaining the reasons for terminating the projects, Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar told reporters, "Even after two months, Maytas did not embark upon any significant effort to prove that it had the capability to execute the projects. Hence the government decided to terminate the agreements on airport projects".


Source: samaylive (http://www.samaylive.com/news/karna-shows-the-door-to-maytas-infra-firm/635251.html)

Read post #308 for earlier news related to this one.

BELGAUM: Belgaum, touted as the state’s second capital, now has no airport. Civil aircraft have stopped landing at the airport at Sambra village, 13 km from the city since June 17 citing poor patronage.



SHIMOGA, GULBARGA: Hit by cancellation of tender to Maytas. Govt to build the two airports on its own.

HUBLI: Only Kingfisher is operating a flight from this airport

BELLARY: Protests against choice of land have led to slow pace of work. District- in-charge Minister G Janardhan Reddy is firm on having it on the disputed land.

MANGALORE: Only airport which seems to be doing well, apart from Bangalore. Bajpe airport's swank new terminal may open in two months.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Belgaum+goes+off+civil+aviation+map&artid=qhgSwtQEl34=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

^^^^ its just a matter of time....let the airport get expanded/upgraded @ sambra....... it will see a great surge in traffic.......

Software exports hover around Rs. 1,100 cr.

Laiqh A. Khan

Companies in Mysore register increase in exports of nearly 44 per cent compared to last fiscal’

MYSORE: Software worth around Rs. 1,100 crore was exported from Mysore during the financial year 2007-08.

J. Parthasarathy, outgoing Director of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Bangalore, told The Hindu that software companies in Mysore, had registered an increase in exports of about 44 per cent to touch Rs. 1,100 crore from the Rs. 760 crore recorded last year.

“Software exports figures from Mysore have been very encouraging. The city has retained the number 2 position in the State, next only to Bangalore, and is followed by Mangalore”, he said.

Five new software companies had started their operations in Mysore in the last financial year, taking the total number of software firms in the city to 53, Mr. Parthasarathy said.

“These are provisional figures. The final figures will be announced after the annual performance reports of the software companies are received”, he said.

Mysore, which had overtaken Mangalore in software exports during the financial year 2006-07, continued to maintain its lead over the coastal city. Ever since software firms began operations in Mysore in the late nineties, the city has been trailing behind Mangalore.

The setting up of Infosys brought about a major turnaround in the evolution of the historic city into a bustling Information Technology centre.

Infosys, which has been increasing its workforce at the software development centre in Mysore during the last two to three years, accounted for a major portion of software export from the city.

But a number of other players, including a few home-grown companies, had exported significant quantity of software, STPI officials said.

Apart from Infosys, Mysore is also home to IT companies like Wipro, L&T, Software Paradigms, Excel Soft and ICAD, to name a few.

That the software industry here has managed to make a mark despite the economic recession in the U.S., appreciation of the Indian rupee and political uncertainty in the State is an indication of Mysore’s potential to emerge as an IT destination of promise, according to experts in the IT industry.

Mr. Parthasarathy said that Mysore would emerge as a twin city to Bangalore in the coming years if travel duration between the two cities, separated by 140 km, was reduced.

Though the existing highway between Mysore and Bangalore is considered to be good, the connectivity between the two cities can improve dramatically after the railway track doubling work and the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor expressway are completed.

Many experts from the IT industry, including Mr Parthasarathy have favoured high-speed trains between the two cities. An improvement in connectivity would lead to the trend of professionals working in Bangalore and staying in Mysore or vice-versa. “This will help Mysore as well as Bangalore”, an expert said.

Karnataka pioneered GIS software: Hegde
Bangalore, DH News Service:
Saturday, June 20, 2009

Winds of change await the State Election Commissioner’s chamber as the outgoing Commissioner M R Hegde spent his last day shifting his most valuable possessions, his books, to his house.

Hegde, who was appointed five years ago, had a eventful career with the Commission. On the day of retirement, Kaushik Chakravarthy of Deccan Herald interacted him on the sidelines of a farewell lunch hosted by his colleagues. Here are the excerpts:

After five years in the job what is your greatest achievement?

I would say that I have tried to maintain utmost neutrality in my actions. It is the most important thing that an election commissioner has to do in order to keep the faith of the people in the system.

But as election commissioner what would you count amongst your accomplishment?

We used the GIS software during the delimitation of constituencies, which was scientific and fair. In fact the then Chief Election Commissioner, Gopalaswamy was impressed and had cited Karnataka as an example to follow. I was a member of the delimitation committee and we had suggested 70 to 80 changes, all of which were implemented.

What are the biggest impediments you have faced?

As election commissioner, I was able to hold only gram panchayat elections on time. I had to fight to hold zilla and taluk panchayat elections at the Supreme Court and although they were delayed we managed to hold them. I made three attempts to hold the BBMP elections but I was not able to hold them due to court proceedings. Every elections I have had to fight repeated stay orders and petitions. So these are the biggest obstacles.

How do you think these impediments can be overcome?

All steps in the election process must be done by a completely independent agency. Right from reservation to delimitation to voter lists to the event itself, an independent body must conduct the process. This does not leave scope for too many objections.

Governor issues notification

Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Saturday issued a notification appointing C R Chikmath as the new State Election Commissioner. The term of the Commissioner will be for five years from the date of appointment or until he attains the age of 65 years.


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/9302/karnataka-pioneered-gis-software-hegde.html

KOPPAL: The Centre is likely to set up 43 new polytechnics in the state, according to sources in the department of technical education. It has sought financial assistance from the World Bank for the promotion of technical education in the country. The World Bank has stipulated the number of technical institutions that should be set up in the country for extending financial assistance.

Hence, the Centre plans to set up polytechnics with cent per cent funding.

The number of polytechnics the Centre will set up in each state will be equal to the number of polytechnics set up by the respective state governments, since 2008-09.

The Karnataka government has set up 21 polytechnics in 2008-09 and announced that 22 polytechnics would be set up in 2009-10.

The departments of technical education of the respective states will be the nodal agencies for setting up and maintenance of these Central polytechnics.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Centre+to+set+up+43+polytechnics+in+Karnataka&artid=5JphqFu2ZWo=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Karnataka pioneered GIS software: Hegde


Good news. As per an old post earlier Karnataka was lagging in e-governance compared to other states. I think some of the measures like using GIS software may boost Karnataka's index on e-governance. Mangalore City Corporation is also going for digital mapping as per the report MCC to Consider Digital Mapping of Mangalore (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/04/stories/2009060458620300.htm). I think Hubli-Dharwad Muncipal Corporation is already using GIS software.

For CDP/CTTP preparation mostly GIS software is used. CiSTUP may also be using GIS for urban planing of Gulbarga, Bellary, etc along with some simulation software packages. GIS software is also useful for ministries like rural, irrigation, horticulture, etc.

Many of Indian IT companies, in search of alternative business opportunities, have already expressed interest in developing software for governments. Mostly when IT global market is down it is now opportunities for government departments to get software packages economically.

Govt to handover 1,700 acre to NICE

Rs 200 crore released for road works

Bangalore, DH News Service:
Monday, June 22, 2009

The State government has sanctioned Rs 200 crore for improvement of roads in various Assembly segments across the State, Public Works Minister C M Udasi said on Monday.


Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Udasi said as many as 200 non-urban Assembly constituencies have been identified under the new scheme ‘Suvarna Rasthe Yojane.’ Jurisdictional legislators will have the discretion to identify the roads for improvement and utilise the grants allotted for their respective constituencies, he said.

The Government has also released Rs 230 crore for road development in 114 backward taluks as identified in the D M Nanjundappa Committee’s report on regional imbalances. The project work taken up under the two schemes, will be completed by December this year, he said.

Land for expressway

Replying to queries, Udasi said the Government will handover 1,700 acres to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) for construction of the first phase of the main expressway between Bangalore and Mysore by August 1 as per the undertaking given to the apex court. Stating that the process is underway, he said, the allocation would be as per the framework agreement.

The minister said, the State government was awaiting approval from the World Bank for works on the 850 kms State roads at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore under the Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project-II (KSHIP-II). He said, the formalities would be completed within the next three to four months.

To another query, the minister said, the State government had sent a proposal to the Centre seeking Rs 100 crore to enable a cement road to be laid on the 32-km Shiradi Ghat stretch.

He said, the Government is keen on taking up works on the Mysore-Bantwal stretch for improvement under the Public Private Partnership mode, he added.


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/9650/rs-200-crore-released-road.html

Rs. 153-cr. infrastructure projects to be implemented in eight years

Staff Correspondent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gulbarga City Corporation, State and Union governments to share the cost

The works will be taken up in two phases;

Rs. 1.25 crore released


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Gulbarga: The former Minister and Gulbarga North MLA Qamar-ul-Islam on Monday said a meeting of the Gulbarga City Corporation (GCC) had approved projects worth Rs. 153 crore to provide basic amenities, including construction of underground drainage system and making provisions for supplying drinking water, to residents of Gulbarga.

Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, Mr. Islam informed that while the GCC will contribute 10 per cent of the project cost, the State Government will contribute 30 per cent and the Union Government will bear 60 per cent of the project cost.

The Gulbarga City Corporation had already released its share of Rs. 1.25 crore towards implementation of the projects and the works would begin soon, Mr. Islam said.

According to him, the projects will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, projects worth Rs. 65 crore will be taken up while the rest of the funds will be utilised for the works that will be taken up in the second phase. The implementation of the projects will be spread across eight years.

In the first phase, underground drainage work will be taken up in extension areas of Gulbarga and simultaneously repair of water supply pipelines will also be done, he added.

Water shortage


Mr. Islam said Gulbarga has water resources but distribution has always been a problem. Water storage tanks at Nandoor and Kapanoor areas of Gulbarga will be constructed to overcome the problem, he added.

Mayor Sayeeda Begum, Deputy Mayor Pramod Tiwari, GCC Commissioner K.G. Jagadish, and corporators were among many others who participated.


http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/12/stories/2009051251630300.htm

Bangalore: The economic slowdown has halted the great rush to establish special economic zones (SEZ) in the state. Many companies, after
in-principle approval, are not coming forward to ask the government to notify the setting up of their respective SEZs.

Formal approval has been given to 50 SEZs, which are expected to occupy nearly 3,000 hectares of land in the state. Of these, only 27 have been notified.

Interestingly, 23 units were notified earlier, at the commencement of the economic slowdown. "Only a couple of companies got notified after October. The recession effect is being felt in the sector to a great extent. Overall, the great rush for formal approval has come down,'' an official in the industries and commerce department said.

Besides the slowdown, persistent land acquisition problems have forced developers to think twice on moving their proposals for issuing notifications.

While only three developers have sought notification in recent times, fortunately for the state's investment, none have sought de-notification, unlike in other states. Even fresh proposals have drastically come down. It is said only three SEZ proposals have been lined up before the state high level clearance committee (SHLCC) headed by the chief minister. The meeting is expected to take place next week.

To stand in the league of industrially advanced states like Andhra Pradesh; Tamil Nadu; Gujarat and Maharashtra, Karnataka, though late, unveiled its much-awaited SEZ policy recently. The absence of a strong SEZ policy in the state was seen as a shortfall in achieving the intended objectives in the sector. The policy, in accordance with rule 5(5) of the Centre's Special Economic Zone Rules 2006, extends a slew of benefits and incentives like exemption of stamp duty and registration fees for registration of land for investors in SEZ units.

On the problems faced by developers in land acquisition, large and medium scale industries minister Murugesh R Nirani said: "Consent acquisition from farmers would be the criteria for land acquisition for SEZs. The state will not interfere in the acquisition process, further, 20% of the developed land will be given to farmers, besides employment to one of its family members,'' he added.

The all-India front suggests that after enactment of the SEZ Act and Rules in 2006, 568 formal approvals have been granted and 315 SEZs notified by the Centre.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Slowdown-puts-SEZs-in-freezer/articleshow/4689429.cms)

New Delhi: In what could be one of the larger capacity-expansion projects to be announced this year, the Indian Railways plans to spend some Rs2,000 crore to double the railway track between Hoskote in Karnataka and Vasco in Goa.

A railway official, asking not to be named, said the Planning Commission cleared the project 10 days ago.

The project, measuring some 350km, connects the iron ore rich areas of Karnataka to ports in Goa.

The official said the project is part of a long-term capacity creation plan, which is likely to be the thrust of this year’s railway budget, scheduled to be presented on 3 July.

Another railway official said the railway budget would focus on both capacity creation and national priority projects such as North-East and Jammu and Kashmir connectivity.

The first railway official said the Hoskote-Goa project was designed with an eye on the future despite a fall in iron ore prices in late 2008. Karnataka is a significant source of iron ore deposits, containing an estimated 40% of the country’s total deposits.

“If they are doubling the Goa line, it is good. (But) it will be a very expensive project because it (the tracks) has to go through a ghat section,” said Rahulkumar Baldota, executive director, MSPL Ltd, which owns iron-ore mines in Hospet.

Baldota said mining firms in Hospet prefer ports on the west coast because of their proximity and lower shipping charges. “The freight differential for a vessel between the east coast and the west coast could be between half and one-and-a-half dollars,” he said.


Source: livemint (http://www.livemint.com/2009/06/22214402/HoskoteVasco-track-to-get-Rs2.html?h=B)

As per an earlier post #324 Hubli-Ankola railwayline is cancelled due environmental problems. So, this may be the substitute route for exporting iron from Bellary-Hoskote region. Also, coal for many of power plants coming up in NW Karnataka may be imported easily through Goa through this doubled line?

BANGALORE: ‘Knowledge City’ holds a tremendous allure to prospective investors in Karnataka, given its hi-tech image. Though ambitious proposals bit the dust a couple of years ago, a group of NRIs led by US-based Dr Girish has coming forward to set up a Knowledge City at an investment of nearly Rs 10,000 crore in Bangalore.

Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa during a meeting of the NRI committee, which he heads, expressed interest in the venture. It is likely that the government might underwrite the project to the tune of 20% of the cost. The proposed Knowledge City will consist of a hospital, education institutions, university and other facilities.

Besides, General Electric, the $200-billion American MNC, may enter into an agreement with the state government in health, energy, renewable energy and bio-mass. The company already has a considerable presence in the city with its medical systems business as well as its global research centre here. GE will invest in energy sector, renewable energy and impart knowledge in enhancing power production.

“A large amount of power is wasted during transmission. GE has expertise in reducing transmission losses. To have a first-hand insight into the functioning of the company, Yeddyurappa has agreed to visit GE’s facilities here,’’ Ganesh Karnik, vice-chairman of the NRI Cell, told reporters here on Tuesday. In addition, CSQR, a Canadian company has also shown interest in setting up a technology and management institute.

Spelling out the objectives of the cell, Karnik said the cell has created a database of 700 NRIs having roots in Karnataka, with many of them coming forward to invest in knowledge and technology-based units here. “This cell acts as a facilitator for the investors. As a part of our efforts, the CM has directed all departments to appoint a nodal officer for speeding up investments. Let investors come to us; we will do the leg work,’’ Karnik said.

Suresh Srinivasaiah of S J Experts, based in New Jersey, will set up a large solar energy unit here. The government has nominated three coordinators to seek investment — industrialist BR Shetty for the Gulf, Neeraj Patil for the UK and other European countries, and Mahesh Nagarajaiah for the US.


Source: ToI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/State-woos-NRI-investments/articleshow/4694795.cms)

‘IT companies in the State are cutting costs and exploring newer markets in Asia’
‘E-governance projects worth Rs. 10,000 crore are in the pipeline’


BANGALORE: Hit by the global recession, exports by Karnataka-based Information Technology companies have decelerated sharply in 2008-09. The growth of IT exports — hardware and software — from the State increased only by 15 per cent in 2008-09, compared to 24 per cent the previous year.

Read full news here (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/24/stories/2009062456540100.htm).

As per an earlier post (#334) Mysore may be an exception.

Bangalore: Exports from Karnataka in 2008-09 amounted to Rs. 1,35,000 crore, despite the global economic slow down.


Read more here (http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/24/stories/2009062457330500.htm).

Projects cleared

The State Government has cleared 24 projects with an investment of Rs. 10,958 crore, which are likely to provide employment to 60,138 people.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/25/stories/2009062557970200.htm

State clears proposals worth Rs. 10,958 crore

Special Correspondent

Projects are expected to provide jobs to 60,138 people

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/25/images/2009062560560401.jpg

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Crucial decisions: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa chairing a meeting of the State High Level Clearance Committee in Bangalore on Wednesday, which was attended by (from left) Ministers Umesh Katti, S.A. Ravindranath, Murugesh Nirani, Katta Subramanya Naidu and Venkataramanappa.

BANGALORE: The State Government on Wednesday cleared 24 projects with an investment of Rs. 10,958 crore. These projects are expected to provide employment to 60,138 people.

The approval was granted at a meeting of the State High Level Clearance Committee held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

The investment proposals include four iron and steel firms to be set up at an estimated cost of Rs. 3,999.47 crore; a 435-MW thermal power plant to be set up by the Chennai-based Surana Power Ltd. in Raichur at a cost of Rs. 2,398 crore.

Two wind power projects — one with a capacity of 24 MW and another with a capacity of 10 MW — too were cleared to be set up in Belgaum and Gadag districts respectively. The Belgaum-based Vishwanath Sugar Limited, a company owned by the family members of Horticulture Minister Umesh Katti, has got permission to enhance its sugar mill’s crushing capacity from the present 2,500 tonnes of cane per day to 5,500 tonnes.

Proposals for setting up an ITES park with an investment of Rs. 459 crore and an ITES Special Economic Zone with an investment of Rs. 615 crore were also cleared at the meeting, which was attended by several Ministers.

The district-wise break-up of the investment proposals shows that Raichur has got clearance for the highest investment of Rs. 2,398 crore followed by Haveri (Rs. 1,800 crore) and Bagalkot (Rs. 1,500 crore). Bangalore city has got two projects with an investment of 1,090.31 crore.

Briefing presspersons after the committee’s meeting, Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani said that the above companies were given a deadline of two years for either setting up their firms or to begin the actual work.
Notices

He said that notices had been served on 40 companies seeking reasons why the clearances granted by the Government should not be withdrawn as they had failed to begin the work on their projects even two years after getting the green signal.

In one such case, it had been decided to withdraw 30 acres of land granted to Bosch Company due to the delay in going ahead with a project, the Minister said.

In the last one year, the High Level Clearance Committee cleared investment proposals worth Rs. 1,10,447 crore, he noted.

The Minister said the Chief Minister had directed him to look into the issue of providing some kind of support to the industries hit by recession.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/25/stories/2009062560560400.htm

Karnataka’s exports rise marginally last fiscal

Slowdown hits electronics, computer software segment.

“The fact that the State’s exports increased by Rs 3,000 crore in 2008-09 over 2007-08, despite the overall climate of pessimism, suggests that an economic recovery is likely towards the fourth quarter of this fiscal.”

Shamik Paul

Bangalore, June 24 Exports from Karnataka increased 2.3 per cent in 2008-09, or from Rs 1.32 lakh crore in 2007-08 to Rs 1.35 lakh crore in the period under review. This is against a rise of 16.9 per cent to Rs 7.67 lakh crore in 2008-09 for the country as a whole.

Exports of electronics and computer software (ECS), which accounted for 60 per cent of the State’s exports in 2007-08, took a major hit last year. Although the figures for all of 2008-09 are not available, the sector is likely to have registered zero or negative growth.

Despite the world economic and financial crisis, the State’s exports in the last quarter of 2008-09 increased by about Rs 67,000 crore, accounting for half the year’s total exports. Even if one accepts that there is heightened business activity in the second half of a fiscal year, the rise is noteworthy in a time of economic downturn. The trend holds true even for the ECS sector.

According to the latest data from Visvevaraya Industrial Trade Centre, ECS exports during April-February 2009 stood at Rs 63,341 crore, whereas in 2007-08, the State’s ECS exports were Rs 79,518 crore. During April-December 2008, exports were Rs 32,739 crore, pointing to a pick-up in January and February.
Share in total exports

Karnataka’s exports rose 23.4 per cent in 2007-08 over 2006-07, or from Rs 1.07 lakh crore to Rs 1.32 lakh crore.

Its share in India’s exports rose from 8.2 per cent in 2001-02, when ECS accounted for 57.25 per cent of the State’s exports, to 16.2 per cent in 2007-08, when ECS accounted for three-fifth of the country’s exports.

Mr J. Crasta, Senior Vice-President and President-elect of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, told Business Line, “The fact that the State’s exports increased by Rs 3,000 crore in 2008-09 over 2007-08, despite the overall climate of pessimism, suggests that an economic recovery is likely towards the fourth quarter of this fiscal. Businesses have held back investments, as a result of a crisis of confidence. There is also an attempt to develop alternative markets in the developing world.” That exports have actually grown in fiscal 2009 and not reported a decline in spite of the crisis is important, he added.

In February, Nasscom said keeping in mind the global economic meltdown in the second half of the year, IT and BPO exports from India is expected to grow at 16-17 per cent in fiscal 2009.

The apex body revised its revenue estimate for the fiscal to $47 billion from its earlier forecast of $50 billion. Last financial year, Indian IT export earnings grew 29 per cent to touch $40.4 billion. Nasscom said its estimates indicate that the industry would report revenue of $60-$62 billion by fiscal 2011.

http://www.blonnet.com/2009/06/25/stories/2009062551091900.htm

224 infra projects in PPP mode

Our Bureau

Bangalore, June 19 The Karnataka Government is involved in 224 infrastructure projects in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode, said Mr V. Madhu, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development Department.

These ongoing projects involve an investment of Rs 1.39 lakh crore. Mr Madhu was addressing ‘Real Estate and Infrastructure Forum’, organised by jointly by the Malaysia India Business Council (MIBC) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Industry and Commerce (FICCI) here on Friday.

Providing sector-wise details of “projects in the pipeline”, Mr Madhu said the “transportation sector, particularly road development” was a major area of interest for private investors using the PPP mode. He said Malaysian companies, which had acquired expertise in the infrastructure sector, were welcome to invest in the sector in the State. He said 20 per cent of the projects are “in various stages of procurement.”

http://www.blonnet.com/2009/06/20/stories/2009062051851700.htm

this highway seems to be in perfect shape....which highway is it.??

Agumbe to sringeri,karnataka hair pin highway......

copyright BomBatt

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/travelogues/56302d1223228605t-kukke-d-sthala-kateel-udupi-kollur-sringeri-hornadu-kalasa-pilgrimage-dscn0539.jpg

Two north Karnataka highways upgraded

Special Correspondent

Humnabad-Jewargi and Jewargi-Bijapur State highways are now national highways

Meeting convened on Friday to chalk out details on improving State highways in Gulbarga

Proposal will be submitted to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath: Kharge

GULBARGA: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have declared the Humnabad-Jewargi State highway and the Jewargi-Bijapur State highway as national highways, providing connectivity between National Highways 9 and 13.

While National Highway 9, which connects Hyderabad and Mumbai, passes through Humnabad in Bidar district, National Highway 13 from Solapur to Bangalore passes through Bijapur city.

A year ago the NHAI and the Ministry had declared the same roads as national highways, but the notification was withdrawn since the Union Government did not provide funds for their maintenance.

However, the roads from Humnabad to Jewargi and from Jewargi to Bijapur city has now been included again on the list of national highways, according to Union Labour and Employment Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge, and funds have been provided for their maintenance.

Mr. Kharge told The Hindu that he had requested Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath to also declare the entire stretch from Bidar to Hiriyur passing through Gulbarga as a national highway. This would provide connectivity to Bangalore city for the people of Gulbarga, Bidar and taluks in Raichur and Koppal districts.

He said that Mr. Kamal Nath had given an assurance that he would consider the demand taking into account the backwardness of the region and the need to declare that stretch as a national highway.

Mr. Kharge said that he had convened a meeting of senior officials of the NHAI and the Public Works Department in Gulbarga on Friday to formulate a plan to improve important State highways in Gulbarga district utilising money from the Central Road Fund (CRF). He said that a detailed estimate of the cost to improve the State highways connecting Gulbarga and Sedam, Gulbarga and Afzalpur, and Gulbarga and Aland would be prepared. He said he would submit the proposal to Mr. Kamal Nath.

To a question, Mr. Kharge said that no political significance should be attached to the appointment of the former Law Minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj as Governor of Karnataka. Mr. Bhardwaj will replace Rameshwar Thakur, who has been shifted to Madhya Pradesh in the same capacity.

He said, “This is a routine administrative decision and I have nothing to comment on it. Mr. Bharadwaj proved himself to be an able administrator with his no-nonsense approach during his tenure as Law Minister.”

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/26/stories/2009062653020300.htm

krishnamoorthy this highway seems to be in perfect shape....which highway is it.??

Agumbe to sringeri,karnataka hair pin highway......

copyright BomBatt

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/travelogues/56302d1223228605t-kukke-d-sthala-kateel-udupi-kollur-sringeri-hornadu-kalasa-pilgrimage-dscn0539.jpg

Akash, it is NH-13 higway. This is Hebri-Theerthhalli ghat section. This is the most dangerous and most beautiful ghat section among all (Sampaje, Shiradi, Charmadi, etc). I have travelled many times through this during my journey from Mangalore to Hyderabad. Agumbe is famous for its sunset. Agumbe receives highest rainfall. And shimoga has most of the tallest waterfalls of India.

^^ Good that North East Karnataka is getting more national highways. I think NH-13 is not between Sholaur and Bangalore, it is between Sholapur and Mangalore. It may be providing a diversion to Bangalore through NH-4. Google map shows it wrongly through Chikkamagalur, chikkamagalur highway is newly declared NH-234. NH-13 is planed Mangalore-Shimoga-Chitradurga industrial corridor. NH-13 has another branch through Shringeri. Dear Aksh, please remove my name from the title.

BANGALORE: Karnataka Cabinet has decided to set up a university in Davanagere comprising Davangere and Chitradurga districts, which now come under the Kuvempu University, Shimoga, on 170 acres.

The Cabinet also decided to strengthen the Coastal Security Force by recruiting 60 police personnel of various ranks.

Minister for Home V.S. Acharya said the Cabinet decided to amend the Karnataka University Act to set up the university in Davanagere. About 20,000 students would come under the purview of the Davangere University.

It was decided to bring the Coastal Development Authority under the jurisdiction of the Planning Department and Rs. 2 crore has been sanctioned to the Authority as an initial fund.

It has decided to provide the Government guarantee to the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board to borrow Rs. 150 crore loan from Syndicate Bank and Corporation Banks to implement water supply and drainage works in several towns in the State.

The Cabinet decided to sanction Rs 232 crore for the construction of "Suvarna Soudha" in Belgaum, on the lines of Vidhan Soudha, the state secretariat here. The construction would be completed within one-and-half-years.

It has decided to shift an engineering college from Bellary City to Hoovinahadagali in the district for the benefit of students. Earlier, the Government has shifted the college from Hoovinahadagali to Bellary City citing shortage of students, Dr. Acharya said.


Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=131837)

GAIL plans 2 pipeline projects

To invest Rs 7,600 crore.

Source (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/06/26/stories/2009062651741700.htm)

Bangalore, June 24 The board of the public sector GAIL (India) Ltd has approved a Rs 7,600-crore investment for two pipeline projects linking Karnataka to the National Gas Grid.

The GAIL Managing Director, Dr U.D. Choubey, said, “We have signed an MoU for forward linkages with end users.” The projects include linking both Kochi and Dabhol to Bangalore. GAIL has a pipeline infrastructure of 7,000 km in the country.
South focus

GAIL’s southern focus involved laying a 1,389 km pipeline from Dabhol in Maharashtra to Bangalore. This project would involve an investment of Rs 4,543 crore. The second project involved linking Kochi to Bangalore at an estimated Rs 3,032 crore.

The projects are expected to be completed between 2011 and 2013. On completion, the projects would bring at least 30 million standard cubic metres a day to Karnataka. This translated to about 1.08 mBtu a day assuming a conversion of 0.036 per cubic metre. Completion of the projects would be synchronised with the availability of the gas from the Kochi terminal, under construction by Petronet LNG Ltd and Dabhol gas terminal.

Dr Choubey said Karnataka had offered support to the project in providing land for the route. The projects though do not include acquisition of land by GAIL. Instead, it would only have a right of way through the route, on terms agreed with counterparties involved. The agreement involved payment of right of way charges to the State Government and to parties/individuals whose land was utilised for the pipeline route.

The projects would be funded through a 70:30 debt equity ratio, he added. This implied that GAIL would bring in 30 per cent of the funding requirements from its balance sheet. Discussions were under way, he said, with financial institutions and banks for meeting the remaining funding requirements. He added, “We will look for the best financing terms and the lowest interest costs.”
Gas pricing

Asked about the final tariffs, Dr Choubey said, “We have provided an indicative price to end users.” He, however, declined to reveal the price. International gas prices are ruling between $4 and $4.5/mBtu. He added that the gas pricing was still in the process of being worked out and would have to be approved by the Petroleum Industry Regulatory Board. But he added that the tariff would be worked out on the basis of the landed cost of gas at the terminals in Kochi and Dabhol. GAIL’s pricing would also be decided on the basis of a minimum 12 per cent return on equity on its investments.

The major bulk users of the gas were likely to be power and fertiliser plants. These included Karnataka Power Corporation’s planned 1,400 MW gas station in Bidadi, Mangalore Fertilisers, NTPC’s 350 MW Kayamkulam power station in Kerala and the public sector FACT Ltd.

BANGALORE: Based on the number of papers published, University of Mysore and Mangalore University from the state, have made it to the top 20 research universities in the country. While University of Mysore with 241 papers published in 2008 came 19th, Mangalore University was ranked 20th with 221 research papers in 2008. The rankings were published in Current Science by former Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) Vice-Chancellor Dr Gangan Prathap, who is currently with the National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), New Delhi.

Delhi University topped the rankings with 814 papers published in 2008, followed by Banaras Hindu University (806), Jadavpur (679), Anna University (586) and Punjab University (577).

The Indian Institutes of Technology and the IISc, Bangalore have been excluded as the study focused only on regular universities.

The list was prepared by looking at the number of papers published, based on data from the Web of Science(http://www.isiknowledge.com/WOS).


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Mysore,+Mangalore+among+top+20+research+varsities&artid=uA8cXwuSEdU=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=Mysore%20and%20Mangalore%20University)

Karnataka Milk Federation has clocked the highest milk procurement registering 40.02 lakh kg on June 22. The production is second highest after Amul in the country.

KMF and its member milk unions have provided round-the-year market for the milk produced by its farmer members. During 2008, the milk procurement was on an average 34.36 lakh kg/day, out of which 22.28 lakh litres was sold as liquid milk and average 6.46 lakh litres was utilised for converting into milk powder. On 18th June, 2008, 35.22 lakh kg of milk was procured, which had surpassed earlier records.

The factors which led to the increased milk production included coordination with the milk farmers and the advanced infrastructure for handling the surplus milk production. The federation commissioned its new powder plant at Channarayapatna.


Source: FnBnews (http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=25643&sectionid=1)

UK-based Xchanging, a Rs 460-crore (Rs 4.6 billion) business process outsourcing unit, is set to open a 1,000-seat high-performance processing centre in the Tier-3 town of Shimoga near Bangalore.

The upcoming centre will be spread over 37 acres and is expected to be operational by the first quarter of next year, said David Andrews, CEO of Xchanging.


Source: rediff (http://www.rediff.com/business/report/2009/jun/22/bpo-xchanging-to-set-up-1000-seat-bpo.htm)

GULBARGA: Gogi village in Shahapur taluk, Gulbarga district, is like any other village: it’s mainly agricultural and also unknown to the world; but the anonymity won’t last long as the village suddenly finds itself under the spotlight.

Experts from Atomic Research Centre, Hyderabad, have stumbled upon uranium deposits in the village.

It all started when a team of experts from the ARC visited the village and acquired eight acres of land a few years back. The team conducted surveys using two helicopters and left. Now, the results of the surveys are out: Gogi village does contain uranium.

According to sources, ARC has asked the revenue department to acquire 100 acres of land in Gogi for mining uranium.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Uranium+deposits+found+in+Gulbarga&artid=KoEXIIK6t6Y%3d&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s%3d&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A%3d&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ%3d%3d&SEO=)

GULBARGA: The Union government would establish a multi-specialty ESI hospital cum medical college in Gulbarga, said Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Labour and Employment Minister, here on Saturday. In his maiden visit to his home constituency after taking charge as minister, Kharge told reporters that a team of officials of the Health Department had visited Gulbarga a few days back and held discussions with the Deputy Commissioner regarding the acquisition of 30 acres of land for the ESI hospital cum medical college. ‘’Once the state government allots the required land, the Union Government will provide Rs 100 crore for the establishment of the ESI Hospital.

"A similar hospital-cummedical college will be established in Bangalore this year,’’ Kharge said. The children of employees, who come under the purview of the ESI, would get admission in such medical colleges, he informed.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Centre+to+open+ESI+medical+colleges+in+G%E2%80%99barga,+B%E2%80%99lore&artid=yk735A4iBVM=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

the last three posts are tremendous...........great going karnataka.....

Government to go ahead with airport in Bellary

Staff Correspondent

KIADB issued notification on June 28 on land acquisition

Farmers say land to be acquired is cultivable

Farmers’ to intensify agitation soon

BELLARY: Despite strong opposition from farmers, the State Government is going ahead with its proposal of constructing a new green field airport in Bellary on the outskirts of the city.

The State Government has entrusted the task of acquiring the land required for construction of the airport to the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), which issued a notification on June 28 on the land to be acquired. The KIADB has also asked those whose lands are being acquired for the project to file their objections, if any, within 30 days from the date of notification. It proposes to acquire land in Siriwar, Tegginabudihal and Chaganur villages in Bellary taluk.

When G. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development, announced that a new airport would be constructed near Sangankal, and that around 1,250 acres of land would be acquired, it had led to a controversy.
Opposed

Farmers of Siriwar and Chaganur opposed the move on the grounds that the land identified for acquisition was fertile with irrigation facilities. Moreover, several families along with agricultural labourers would be rendered jobless if the proposal went through.

A series of agitations were held by the farmers, including dharna, rasta roko, bullock-cart procession, and taking out a “padayatra” to Bangalore to meet the Governor to prevail upon him to drop the move.

The agitating farmers were also lathi-charged. On February 15, guns were fired in the air after a skirmish between the farmers and the authorities.
Support

Several political parties, including the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), along with pro-peoples’ organisations, extended support and solidarity to the farmers’ agitation, with several senior leaders such as former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R.V. Deshpande, Maruti Manpade of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha and representatives of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, visiting the village and assuring the farmers of supporting their agitation.

Even S.R. Nayak, Chairman of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), who visited the two villages, heard the grievances of the farmers immediately after the lathi-charge incident, had appealed against the Government’s decision to construct the airport on cultivable land.

Meanwhile, advocate Mallikarjun Reddy of Chaganur told The Hindu that the agitation would intensify. He also said that he would approach the court of law seeking justice for the farming community.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/01/stories/2009070155030600.htm

Tier II airports to get ATF tax cut


Hemanth CS
First Published : 01 Jul 2009 08:14:01 AM IST
Last Updated :

BANGALORE: Even as state-run oil firms hiked the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) by more than 6 per cent on Monday, the Karnataka government in a bid to give a fillip to flight operations between Tier-II cities in the state is considering to reduce tax on the Jet Fuel to 24 per cent from the present rate of 28 per cent.

Government sources told Express that the reduction is aimed at improving the intra-city air connection which has been badly affected following private airlines withdrawing service due to shortage of passengers.

“The government will issue an order in a couple of days on the reduction of ATF tax which will be applicable to flights operating from airports other than Bangalore and Mangalore,” said sources. The government has held talks with airlines on the matter and is hopeful that flight operation’s from Tier-II airports like Belgaum and Hubli will be back to normal. Earlier this month, flight operations has ceased from the Sambra Airport, Belguam after Kingfisher Airlines which was operating flights between Belgaum and Bangalore four days a week had stopped service due to mounting losses.

Operations at the Hubli airport also look bleak as it plays host to just one carrier Kingfisher Airlines. The Karnataka Government, as part of its airport development programme for the Hubli, Belguam, Managlore airports is spending close to Rs 40 crore. Besides, its also developing airports at Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Hassan on PPP basis.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Tier+II+airports+to+get+ATF+tax+cut&artid=qQHqwplQ4i8=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=

BANGALORE: July 5, 2009: Karnataka has received projects that entail an expenditure of Rs 1,026 crore in the Railway budget 2009-10. In the previous fiscal, this figure was Rs 680 crore.

A day after presentation of the Indian Railway budget, Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Saturday claimed credit for getting Rs. 346-crore more this year for completing the ongoing rail projects such as Talaguppa-Shimoga, Kottur-Harihar and track doubling works on the outskirts of Bangalore.

The minister who arrived to Bangalore on Saturday morning, told reporters that a proposal has been made in the state budget for taking up survey of nine new lines including one electrification project covering 1,104 km in Karnataka.

Work on the 97-km Shimoga-Talaguppa project would be completed in one year. The Kottur-Harihar line would be ready by March. The BJP Government in Karnataka has to give its share of Rs. 100 crore, he said.

The railway ministry has earmarked Rs.1,026 crore ($214.5 million) for various projects in Karnataka for the current fiscal, up from Rs.680 crore in 2008-09, he said.

This is the first time in a decade that the ministry has allocated over Rs.1,000 crore in a fiscal for various projects in Karnataka.

The state government is also giving a budgetary support of Rs.243 crore for the ongoing projects, Mr Muniyappa said.

The Minister said the Railways was getting an annual income of Rs. 3,035 crore from the State in terms of passenger and freight traffic as against its expenditure of around Rs. 700 crore.

Of Rs. 543.36 crore for the on-going projects, the new lines would get Rs. 202.58 crore, gauge conversion Rs. 98.06 crore, doubling work Rs. 231.24 crore and electrification of Guntakal-Gooty-Bangalore section Rs. 11.48 crore.

The 12.07-km Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka line would be given Rs. 27.23 crore and the 12.89-km Yelahanka-Chennasandra line Rs. 37.82 crore.

On the criticism of Mr. Yeddyurappa and H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP, he said the United Progressive Alliance Government had not favoured the State with more railway projects as politically motivated.

About the Bangalore-Mysore doubling work, Mr. Muniyappa said that around Rs. 80 crore had been spent on Mysore-Ramanagaram stretch.

A Senior Railway official said that 23 bridges, including 10 in the city, would be built during the coming financial year. The six-lane Benniganahalli bridge on Old Madras Road would be ready by next June with openings on both the sides.

On the inordinate delay in completing the double line between Bangalore and Mysore (160 km), Mr Muniyappa said due to some monuments of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali at Srirangapatna coming in the way, civil works have been held up between Ramanagaram and Mysore.

With the Cauvery river and its tributaries flowing across the route between Mandya and Mysore, construction of new bridges and widening of the existing single track is also taking enormous time, he said.

According to a senior South Western Railway (SWR) zone official, of the total project cost (Rs.500 crore) for the double line, Rs.350 crore has been earmarked for the massive civil works and about Rs.150 crore for electrification.

Among the projects at various stages of completion in Karnataka are Gadag-Bagalkot gauge conversion, Shimoga-Talguppa line, Gulbar-Bidar line, Munirabad-Mehboobnagar line, Mysore-Chamarajanagar and Hassan-Mangalore line.



Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=133380)

Raw deal for K'tka in rail budget: CM (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=133191)
"The state government is focusing on developing tier-II cities and other destinations due to increased commutation and travel for employment and education. There is a need to expand train network to meet the demand," Yeddyurappa said.
Leaders rave and rant (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Leaders+rave+and+rant&artid=89sRIiE1vQY=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=railways,%20budget)
Except starting of few trains and upgrading three railway stations in the state, nothing positive was seen.” Announcing for survey of the new line between Gadag- Haveri, Shimoga-Harihar, Almatti-Koppal and Gadag- Wadi is just an eye-wash, as they will take another several years for implementation, the Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi said.
Medical college adds shine to Mysore (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/Medical-college-adds-shine-to-Mysore/articleshow/4735629.cms)
Hubli has only Inter-City to cheer (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Hubli-has-only-Inter-City-to-cheer/articleshow/4735630.cms)
The people of Hubli, the headquarters of South Western Railway zone, have been demanding direct trains to Mumbai and Kochuveli, a day train to Pune and slip-coach facilities to Mangalore via Arsikere. But the budget failed to have any of them.
Other considerations for the state are multi-purpose complexes providing shopping malls and budget hotel facilities at Hubli and Mysore, Adarsh (ideal) station at Londa, and a railway medical college at Mysore.
Shimoga not too happy with allocation (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Shimoga+not+too+happy+with+allocation&artid=ao86DOGOudI=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=shimoga,%20railways,%20budget)
Shimoga-Bangalore intercity train is sanctioned there is no mention of connecting the Shimoga-Talaguppa railway line to Konkan railway and the intercity train between Shimoga and Mysore. Shimoga and Harihar line only survey approved. Other demands not fulfilled are overbridges at the level-crossings on the Shimoga-Harihar and Shimoga-Chitradurga roads, besides extension of the old railway platform in Shimoga railway station.
Chikmagalur disappointed with railway budget (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mysore/Chikmagalur-disappointed-with-railway-budget/articleshow/4738636.cms)
Only Rs. 5 crore released for Kadur-Chikmagalur railway line where as estimated cost has now been revised at Rs 108.17 crore.
Mangalore: Kanara Chamber of Commerce Petitions Railway Minister (http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=62160&n_tit=Mangalore%3A+Kanara+Chamber+of+Commerce+Petitions+Railway+Minister+)
“We are apprehensive of a substantial reduction of seat quota to Mangalore in view of the extension… and we fear that it will not arrive at Mangalore Central...
Day train to Mangalore soon (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/11895/day-train-mlore-soon.html)
State minister for railways Muniappa has told that day train to Mangalore will start within a month.

Govt’s earlier decision to terminate the airports contract reversed
Maytas gets back projects
Bangalore,DH News Service:

The Shimoga and Gulbarga airport projects have gone back to Maytas.

The State cabinet on Monday reversed its recent decision to terminate the contract with the company on the development of these airports, and handed over the projects back to the Maytas-led consortium.

The decision to this effect was taken following the Union Government’s assuring the State that it will stand guarantee as far as implementation of these projects are concerned.
Assurance

“The Centre by assuring to provide necessary funds and inputs to the company and ensure that these projects are implemented within 12 months, urged the State Government to re-consider its decision,” Home Minister V S Acharya told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
The Union department of Corporate Affairs has on June 25, 2009 written a letter to the State in this regard. Hence, the cabinet took this decision, he added.

“Our only fear was liquidity and credibility of the company in the wake of a major financial scam rocking Satyam computers. Now that the Centre has given us the guarantee on the project, we have decided to give the projects back to Maytas on the same terms and conditions,” he explained.

Maytas was promoted by fraud-hit Satyam computers.


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/12236/maytas-gets-back-projects.html

BUDGET GIVES SOME RELIEF TO COFFEE GROWERS

Madikeri, July 7- Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's decision to reduce customs duty from 7.5 per cent to 5 per cent and scrap excise duty on mechanical harvesters has come as a relief to coffee industry in the State, which had taken a hit last year when the berry borer disease had struck.

N.K. Pradeep, President of Coffee Growers Federation, said the cut in taxes would help distressed growers to some extent. Welcoming the move, Attikatte Jagannath, former President of Coffee Growers' Federation, said that a special package for coffee growers and a loan waiver should also have been announced.

However, planters from Kodagu were disappointed as the Central Government had not shown any interest towards a bail out package for the coffee industry. Though the import duty and excise duty relief had been provided for machinery, it would be of little help to the small growers, who constitute more than 90 per cent of the coffee industry.

Former Vice-Chairman of the Coffee Board, S.M. Kaverappa said, "Even though the budget focused on development of the agriculture sector and rural development, a special coffee package was not announced."

Coffee growers from Madi-keri district said that various Associations and Federations from coffee growing areas had approached the Union Ministry of Commerce and submitted their versions of demands and subsidies required.

There were many differing demands, which could have led to a delay of the package, they added. Central leaders who had promised a lot to the Malnad planters who supported the Congress in the Parliamentary elections also failed to get any special package for them.

The budget will definitely help farmers who are finding it incre-asingly difficult to maintain estates when there is rampant attack of berry borer on arabica plants.

http://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news

Giving shock treatment to private energy producers, the government has terminated the contracts of more than 50 private companies which had obtained licenses to generate power from wind. Despite being approved more than five years ago, these companies had not shown interest in setting up installations.

Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) had given contracts to several private companies to generate wind power in various parts of the state. But as many as 55 companies, even several years after approval, had not commissioned their projects, while they continued to enjoy tax rebates available for investing in non-conventional energy sector. Eshwarappa said a total of 9,000 MW was to be generated by these companies, however, only 1,400 MW of power is being generated.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/Fewer-blackouts-promises-Eshwarappa/articleshow/4746333.cms)

Bangalore , Jul 7 Karnataka is eyeing Rs 3,000 crore worth of works out of the proposed outlay of Rs 39,100 crore for rural employment scheme NREGA by the Centre, and plans to take up development of lakes and horticulture farms under the provision, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said here today.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials to review Karnataka development programmes, he said, areas around as many as 3,384 lakes in the state coming under the Minor Irrigation Department have been encroached. Under NREGA, encroached lands would be cleared and developed.

Out of the 400 government horticulture farms in the state, only 150 were in a good condition. Development of the remaining farms would be taken up under NREGA, he said.

Karnataka had been allocated 35 per cent more funds in the Union budget compared to the previous fiscal, Yeddyurappa added.


Source: Indopia (http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/617153/Karnataka/1/20/1)

Karnataka cabinet cleared biotech policy-II which seeks to give the much needed fillip to sector which covers biotech drug manufacturers, research and development, bio services and agri biotech companies. The new policy offers incentives and envisages setting up a Rs 50-crore venture fund besides earmarking Rs 100 crore to set up facilities for the industries.

Although Karnataka was the first state in the country to introduce the Millennium Biotech Policy in 2001, there was a need to revise the same and keep pace with the industry needs. The new policy was framed based on the recommendations of the committee headed by professor CNR Rao, national research professor, chairman, science advisory council to the prime minister and honorary president, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research Centre.

The new Biotech Policy-II is targeted at attracting more investments in the state. The government has provided attractive concessions. It has incentives and a thrust to create the biotechnology infrastructure. There are efforts to ensure that biotech graduates skills are enhanced and candidates are industry ready. Focus is also on the creation of centres of excellence.

The state accounts for 187 biotech industries which is 50 per cent of the total available in the country. Bangalore has created for itself a bio-cluster because of the presence of the highest number of companies here.

The revamped biotech policy aims at bridging academia with the industry and look at initiatives in bio-fuel and renewable fuels. "The state government is committed to providing an industry-friendly and business-friendly environment for the growth and development of knowledge-based industries, stated Karnataka home minister VS Acharya.

In 2001, there were only 47 biotech companies with a turnover of Rs 200 crore whereas now there are 187 companies with a turnover of more than Rs 3000 crore. The new policy aims to give concessions and encouragement to the sector, added the state home minister.

With the Biotech Venture Fund of Rs 50 crore together with the allocation of Rs 100 crore for biotech infrastructure, the state will be able to attract new investments in Tier-II and Tier-II cities.

Further, the revised policy also proposes setting up of exclusive biotechnology parks such as Agri-Biotech Park at Dharwad at a cost of Rs 30 crore, Marine Biotech Park at Mangalore at Rs 70 crore, Animal House at Bidar at Rs 30 crore and Phyto-pharmaceuticals Biotech Park at Mysore at Rs 110 crore The technical support for the biotech park are from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka Veterinary Animal Fisheries University and Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI). However this will be with the support of Central Funds too.


Source: PHARMABIZ (http://www.pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=50585&sectionid=)

State’s aviation dreams going nowhere


Hemanth CS
First Published : 08 Jul 2009 03:59:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 08 Jul 2009 10:21:15 AM IST

BANGALORE: Aviation and Karnataka are synonymous.

Apart from housing the country’s major aviation industries, the state also boasts of some of the India’s most important airports.

It was Bangalore, the state’s capital, where the country’s first green field airport, the Bengaluru International Airport was built on Public- Private Partnership (PPP) basis.

Now, in a bid to improve intercity air connectivity between the Tier-II cities in the state and to give a boost to tourism in the state, the government has decided to develop new airports and upgrade existing ones in different parts of the state.

Besides, the government has also proposed the construction of airstrips in 24 districts, which includes five around Bangalore City.

Though few of these projects have taken shape or are reaching completion, a few others have been facing various hurdles.

Express takes a look at the status of the various airports across the state, what ails their progress and how these airport projects can attract investment and improve tourism in the state.

Bengaluru International Airport (BIA)

BIA started commercial operations in May 2008. In total, 31 airlines operate from the airport of which 20 are international airlines (including three freighters)and, 11 are domestic airlines (including two freighters).

Currently, the terminal building can handle around 3000 passengers during peak hours and promoters of the airport are planning a second terminal and runway which is to be completed in the next three or four years.

Other plans include the development of an airport city. This area will be a well balanced mix of office parks, retail, entertainment and hospitality.

Mangalore International Airport

The Mangalore airport located in the outskirts of the coastal city is the only other airport in the state (other than BIA) to operate international flights.

Several airlines operate international flights from the airport on the Middle-East route facilitating an easy transit for the large number of people in the state’s costal districts and the border districts of neighbouring Kerala who are working abroad like in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat.

There is also a potential to start flights from Mangalore to Singapore and Malaysia with a few airlines evincing their interest. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) commenced the construction of an Integrated Terminal Building at a cost of Rs 165 crore, which will be operational by September raising the airport to international standards.

Mysore Airport

If the state government’s plans of upgrading existing airports in the state is aimed at giving a fillip to tourism, then the Mysore Airport should be given the top-most priority.

The City of Palaces, which attracts around 30 lakh tourist annually, does seem to be badly in need of an airport.

Apart from being the most potent tourist destination in the state, Mysore also houses leading IT companies like Infosys, Wipro and a large number of educational institutions.

A total of 174 acres of land close to the Mysore- Ooty Road has been allotted for the development of the airport and the AAI is planning to open it before ‘Dasara’. Once operational, the airport can accommodate ATR 72 aircraft with a capacity of 65-70 passengers.

However, expansion work could be delayed as farmers are unwilling to part with their land for the compensation offered by the district administration for the second phase of expansion.

The administration is willing to give Rs 50 lakh per acre as compensation, but farmers are seeking for Rs 1.5 crore for the same.

Shimoga and Gulbarga Airports

There seems to be no respite for the fraud-hit Satyam Computers, as whichever project it has set its hand on looks jinxed.

The Shimoga and Gulbarga airports are latest to be hit by the Satyam bug.

The Karnataka government had severed its agreements with Maytas Infra Consortium, a subsidiary firm of Satyam Computers, for dilly-dallying on finishing the two airport projects.

However, they again reverted its earlier decision and handed over the project back to Maytas after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs assured that it was in control of the newly-constituted Satyam board.

The Shimoga and Gulbarga airport projects were to be developed on PPP basis at a cost of Rs 220 crore. Though, there seems to be an imminent delay in the project, the government is confident that the projects will see the completion soon. The Shimoga airport is Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s pet project as it falls in his home district.

Bellary Airport

Though the cash-rich mining district already has two airports and despite the mining czars having their own helipads for their choppers to land, the government is keen to develop a new airport near Chaganur and Siriwar villages and have hit upon the stumble block as the controversy over land acquisition worsens.

The farmers have cited that lands, where the airport is proposed, are fertile and would affect their livelihood. Besides, opposition parties have also raised serious concern over the project alleging that the motive behind having the airport at the proposed location is to only benefit the Reddy brothers in their mining business.

The Infrastructure development department has said that the ‘Request For Proposal’ for the construction of the airport will be issued shortly. Among the existing airports, the one in Bellary city has no scope for expansion, and the other is owned by the Jindals.

Bijapur Airport

The government has allocated 727- acre of land at Burnapur village near Bijapur for the airport. MARG Limited has bagged the contract for the development of airport. The latest from the government is that it is in the process of issuing PDA to MARG.

Belgaum and Hubli Airports

The Sambra airport in Belgaum, a couple of weeks ago, had stopped flight operations. Kingfisher Airlines had stopped services as it was incurring losses. The AAI had undertaken expansion work on the Runway, Terminal Building and Apron Taxiway. Hubli airport is also being expanded, but the future looks bleak as Kingfisher is the only airline operating from this airport.

Bidar and Karwar airports, proposed for development, are under the control of Defence ministry.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=State%E2%80%99s+aviation+dreams+going+nowhere&artid=e|5vua5fl|k=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=

Modalities of ambitious road project changed
Govt yields to investors’ demands
Satish Shile,DH News Service,Bangalore:

The State government’s ambitious programme to develop and convert 10,000 kms of roads into toll roads is delayed further.

Private players’ disinterest in taking up the projects has forced the Government change the modalities of the project and make it more investor-friendly.

Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited, a nodal agency to handle the project, had invited tenders from private partners. The last date to submit the tenders was June 30. The corporation has extended the deadline till September 30 this year.

As per the initial notification issued on May 26, 2009, the State government had said the concessionaire would have to prepare a detailed project report and purchase the land required for development of roads. This condition made the private companies lose interest in the projects. Many of them said that they would take up projects only if the Government bears the land expenses. The Government is left with no option but to ‘accept’ the condition.

According to an estimate, the Government would require anywhere between 40,000 acres and 50,000 acres of land to develop 10,000 kms of road. Value of land, particularly alongside the existing Bangalore-Mysore Road, would cost crores of rupees. In a nutshell, the Government will have to spend at least a few thousand crores on land alone. “The Finance Department is worried how to arrange so much funds,” an officer said.

The Government is also looking at possibilities of getting the Centre’s help to execute the project under the VGF (viability gap funding) scheme. Under this programme the Centre would bear 20 per cent of the total project cost. In order to reap the benefits under the scheme the Government had to take up projects according to the Centre’s guidelines.
The State has to prepare detailed project reports, and identify the land required. As per the earlier notification the concessionaire had to prepare the DPR. Now, KRDCL has taken the responsibility. The corporation had been working on modalities for preparation of DPRs and feasibility report.

Asked why the government cannot take up the road works on its own, an officer said it was impossible. The Government could not invest so much money. “Construction of one-km stretch of a two-lane road costs Rs 2.5 crore and four-lane road costs Rs 5 crore, excluding cost of land and shifting utilities. The Government can’t bear both the construction cost and land expense. If the private partner invests on construction, the government can somehow arrange for the land cost,” he said.


Highlights

* Last date to file tenders postponed
* Govt to prepare DPRs
* 50,000 acres needed
* Govt has to bear land expense


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/12644/govt-yields-investors-demands.html

BANGALORE: Karnataka will be a hut-free state by 2013, if everything goes according to plan.

"We have proposed to undertake construction of 14 lakh houses along the lines of Andhra Pradesh in the next four years to provide a decent shelter to the poor across the state,'' housing minister V Somanna told reporters here on Wednesday.

About 400 slums across Bangalore will also be included under this scheme, the minister said. Considering this, the department has chalked out a Rs 1,200 crore plan to build houses for all of them. A team of officials had been sent to Andhra Pradesh to study the success story there and submit a report.

" They are expected to submit the report within a week following which they will initiate the project in right earnest,'' he added.

Somanna said they would initially request chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to make a budgetary allocation of Rs 800 crore to take up the scheme. About four lakh houses would be ready by 2010 and the remaining would be completed by 2013.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/Somanna-dreams-of-slum-free-state-/articleshow/4754810.cms)

CHITRADURGA: The town of Chitradurga, hitherto known for its massive rock fort, is all set to rewrite its history in the field of advanced science and technology including aero space research, informed Janardhana Swamy, Lok Sabha member from Chitradurga on Friday.

An alumnus of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, Swamy, who interacted with a couple of officers from IISc and Chitradurga DC Amlan Aditya Biswas earlier, said that chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has kept up his promise by sanctioning 1,500 acres of land in Challakere taluk for setting up of a branch for pursuing research in advanced technology, alternate energy from solar and wind sources, water resource technology, space collaboration etc.

A huge combined investment of Rs 3,500 crore is set aside for establishing a branch of IISc and a defense research development office (DRDO) within a period of three years, in the area adjacent to sheep breeding centre, at Khudapura (Challakere taluk), the MP disclosed. As many as 4,000 scientists including 3,000 researchers will be stationed in the vicinity. The state housing board has sought 300 acres of land for building houses, the DC, Amlan aditya Biswas disclosed. He also informed that DRDO was prepared to invest Rs 17 crore for getting 0.3 TMC of drinking water from Vani Vilasa Sagar, (from Challakere point). The Rs 110 crore drinking water project to Challakere town has been approved by the government, the DC added.

B K Subbaraman, registrar of IISc who handed over a cheque of Rs 4.5 crore (cost of land) to the DC on the occasion, recalled the generosity of Krishna raja Wadiyar IV, king of the then princely state of Mysore 100 years ago by sanctioning 400 acres of land in Bangalore city for setting up of the IISc.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mysore/Rs-3500-cr-for-IISc-branch-at-Chitradurga/articleshow/4655869.cms)

CHITRADURGA: The government has conceived the concept for setting up smaller universities for administrative conveniences and will move a Bill in the coming assembly session to set up Davanagere university, MLC A H Sivayogi Swamy said in Chitradurga on Tuesday.

Addressing a news conference, the chief whip in the council maintained that the proposed university will have 108 colleges, 62 in Davanagere and 46 in Chitradurga, under its purview. It may start functioning from this academic year, he said.

The postgraduate centre functioning in Chitradurga will have a 100 acre campus on the outskirts of the city. He thanked chief minister B S Yeddyurappa for sanctioning Rs 25 lakh for the proposed study centre for students appearing for competitive examinations being set up in Chitradurga. Another such centre in the name of the centenarian Sri Sivakumara swamiji will be established at the Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumkur, he disclosed.

Chitradurga will shortly have a first grade college for women to be named after Onake Obavva, he said.

A regional centre of the National Institute of Mental Health will be established by the ministry of social justice of the Union government at Kondajji, Harihar. A committee of experts will be visiting next week for a spot verification, he said.

He also disclosed the sanction of Rs 25.35 lakh by the government under his local area development fund for Chitradurga, of which Rs 12.55 lakh has been already released, he added.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mysore/Davanagere-varsity-to-be-a-reality-soon/articleshow/4754602.cms)

Yeddyurappa told to expedite projects
Three more cities to benefit from JNNURM
New Delhi, DH News Service:,

Mangalore, Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum can expect infrastructural improvement one year down the line.

The Union government has identified these cities for implementation of urban infrastructure projects under one of its flagship programmes Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

With the Urban Development Ministry deciding to extend the JNNURM scheme to smaller cities with a population of over 5 lakh and less than 10 lakh, three cities in Karnataka have been selected.

Though the Centre is yet to decide the amount to be released, sources in the Ministry told Deccan Herald that it would be sizeable as the scheme involves several developmental activities such as construction of several flyovers, underpasses, storm water drainages, drinking water supply and beautification of roads.

More allocation

In the recent Union budget presented by Pranab Mukherjee, the allocation for JNNURM was stepped up by 87 per cent to Rs 12,887 crore compared to the last fiscal to give fillip to urban infrastructure development.

Under phase-I of the initiative, which was kick-started in 2005, 63 mission cities were funded. The ministry has sanctioned 463 projects worth Rs 49,743.46 crore and Central assistance of Rs 8,253 crore had been released.

In the State, Bangalore and Mysore cities are beneficiaries under this scheme and both have received 15 and one project respectively costing over Rs 650 crore.

The ministry had several times expressed its unhappiness over tardy progress in executing these projects in Karnataka and insisted that it should be put on fast track. When Chief Minister Yeddyurappa recently met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking more funds to remove infrastructure bottleneck in Bangalore, the latter had raised the callous approach by State government in utilising funds under Centrally sponsored schemes and asked him to expedite the projects.

As per the latest statistics released by the Urban Development Ministry, of the total 16 projects sanctioned to Karnataka so far, six projects have utilised an average 30 per cent against the total fund sanctioned and delaying execution, the sources said.


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/13220/three-more-cities-benefit-jnnurm.html

380 acres to be acquired for airport

Staff Correspondent

Land will be acquired at Burnapur, Madhabhavi and Aliabad villages

Bijapur: Deputy Commissioner R. Shantraju has said that 380 acres of land will be acquired for the proposed greenfield airport at Burnapur, Madhabhavi and Aliabad villages shortly.

Presiding over a meeting to discuss the land acquisition procedure here on Saturday, Mr. Shantraju said that the Land Acquisition Officer of Dharwad Zone would visit Bijapur on July 13 in this regard. Farmers would be counselled so that they utilised the compensation released by the government wisely. “The Government’s main concern is to see that the farmers do not spend the compensation erratically,” he added.

The socio-economic survey of these villages will be taken up in a few days. Consultations will be held with banks, small industries department, dairy development units and insurance companies to explore ways farmers losing land could be economically rehabilitated.

“M/s Marg Limited” has taken up the Bijapur airport project with the financial offers, including annual lease of Rs. 20,596 per acre. The project has been awarded for an initial period of 30 years and thereafter the term of project can be extended by the project developer for another 30 years.

Consequent to expiry of 60 years, the term of the project development agreement may be extended by a further period of 30 years based on mutual consent of both parties, he added.


http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/12/stories/2009071257680300.htm

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

Please vote for a new moderator - the contest is hotting up

Voting closes July 19, 2009.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=909566

NTPC gets going on Kudagi

July 13th, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Bengaluru, July 12: The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is confident of laying the foundation stone for the super critical thermal power project in Kudagi in Bijapur district on November 1.

The state bagged the centrally sponsored power project in January this year with NTPC entrusted the responsibility of setting up the project.

The Corporation is now involved in the preliminary work pertaining to the project. After getting the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done, NTPC has moved ahead with the land acquisition and water and coal allocation, say officials.

“The state government has already provided Rs 20 crore for acquisition of 4,000 acres. Since we are acquiring waste land from private owners we may not face any problems,” added the officials.

As per the MoU signed between NTPC and Power Corporation of Karnataka Limited(PCKL), NTPC will set up the plant in two stages. Once the project goes onstream in four years, Karnataka will get half of the power generated (2000 MW).

The layout plan for the project is being finalized. On June 27, NTPC initiated the geo-technical studies. The state government has been requested to provide 5.2 TMC of water annually from the Almatti Dam. NTPC will shortly approach the coal ministry for allocation of coal.

The plant will require around 6 million tonnes of coal annually— around 12 rakes of coal per day.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/bengaluru/ntpc-gets-going-kudagi-994

Italian-made machine to be used to desilt state reservoirs

TNN 13 July 2009, 11:57pm IST

BANGALORE : The latest Italian technology will be used to desilt major reservoirs in the state. An Italian-made hydraulic-cutter
machine will be tested.

In the assembly on Monday, water resources minister Basavaraj Bommai said desilting hasn't been carried out in any of the reservoirs, thus reducing their water-storage capacity. The latest technology is being experimented in Belgaum's 100-year-old Dupadhal Viyar dam. "Scientific study will be done to assess quantity of silt in each reservoir. Respective water corporations will bear the cost,'' Bommai told H C Mahadevappa (Congress).

Of the state's 63 reservoirs, remote-sensing survey on silt content has been carried out in seven. Accordingly, silt content in Tungabhadra is 28.13 tmcft; Narayanapura 10.15 tmcft; Alamatti 5.30 tmcft; Malaprabha 2.77 tmcft; Bhadra 2.15 tmcft; KRS 1.05 tmcft and Hippargi 0.12 tmcft.

The problem area in the conventional method is disposal of silt. The hydraulic cutter can be designed reservoir specific, which helps to attach a pipeline to dispose of silt without using other machineries. This cutter can pump and throw the silt over 3 km away through a pipeline.

Justifying use of Italian technology, Bommai said conventional method would have costed more than Rs 1,000 crore to rid 28 tmcft of silt in Tungabhadra dam. "Desilting will cost more than the total amount spent on construction of the entire reservoir! Rather, a new dam can be built with that money. The new technology is cost effective and being used in European countries,'' he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Bangalore-Italian-made-machine-to-be-used-to-desilt-state-reservoirs/articleshow/4774023.cms

MCI gives recognition to 6 new colleges in Karnataka
Bangalore, PTI:

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has granted recognition to all the six new colleges Karnataka has set up, Medical Education minister Ramachandra Gowda said on Wednesday.


The recognition was given after undertaking inspection of available infrastructure facilities in these colleges, he said in a statement here.

The MCI has approved an intake of 100 students in each of the new colleges in Belgaum, Shimoga, Hassan, Mandya, Raichur and Bidar, he said.

The colleges will begin functioning this year and students would be admitted on merit-cum roster through CET, he said.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/13845/mci-gives-recognition-6-colleges.html

^^ It would be now 35 + 6 medical colleges? Karnataka should start promoting Health Tourism not only in Bangalore but in other Tier-II cities also. As Mangalore has international connection already and good number of medical colleges and hospitals there is scope for promoting international health tourism there. Also Mysore, Hubli, ... wherever a good number of medical staff is available.

Bangalore , July 14 Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today asked the Centre to provide Rs 402 crore grant for construction of court buildings in the state in the 2009-10 budget.

In a letter to Union Minister for Law M Veerappa Moily, he wanted the Centre to allocate the stipulated 75 per cent of the total cost of the court buildings while passing the budget.

He also appealed for Rs 16.57 crore grant for starting family courts in all districts in the state.


Source: Indopia (http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/623177/National/1/20/1)

BANGALORE, Jul 14: Helipads are proposed to be established in 21 places of different districts of Karnataka, Tourism and Infrastructure Development Minister G Janardhana Reddy informed the state legislative assembly on Tuesday.

Deputy commissioners of each of the districts where the helipads are proposed have been released financial grants of Rs 10 lakh each, the minister said,

Steps are being taken to develop airports in Gulbarga, Shimoga, Hassan, Bijapur and Bellary under public-private-partnership model.

The Minister said Centrally-owned airports were being developed at Belgaum, Hubli, Mangalore and Mysore by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).


Source: Daijiworld (http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=62628&n_tit=21+Helipads+Proposed+in+Different+Districts+of+Karnataka)

Bangalore: Cash-strapped Karnataka is moving fast towards a debt trap, if the current loan burden of over Rs 65,000 crore is any indication.

Borrowings and interest payment, besides expenditure on establishment, has increased by nearly 10 times than previous year, according to data provided by the government. This was in reply to a question by H C Neeravari of JD(S) in the legislative council on Thursday.

The state had been raising loans to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore on an average every year to make ends meet. But in 2008-09, loans raised to a whopping Rs 8,652 crore, including market borrowings of Rs 7,462 crore.

Consequently, the government paid principal and interest of Rs 3,782 crore in 2009-09 compared to Rs 1,777 crore.

The debt, divided by the population, gives us the share of debt owed by each person in the state up to Rs 10,000, compared to Rs 31,000 of the Centre.

Yeddyurappa, who is also the finance minister, maintained the state is well within the limit in terms of borrowings. "The fiscal deficit is within 3.5% of the GDP, compared to the average of 4%."


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Bangalore-Karnataka-moving-towards-debt-trap/articleshow/4786807.cms)

Intra-secretariat communications and letter monitoring now being done online
IT and BT now ‘less-paper’ depts
P M Raghunandan, Bangalore, DH News Service:

Information Technology, Bio-technology and Science and Technology secretariat has transformed itself into a ‘less-paper’ office.


All intra-secretariat communications and letter monitoring are now being done
online.

The State IT and BT department in the first phase of the Paperless Office (PLO) project, has covered the IT and BT secretariat. “All our internal communications and Government transaction are being done online. Paper is being used only when it is concerned to inter-departmental work,” Principal Secretary to IT and BT department Ashok Kumar Manoli told Deccan Herald.

So, when will Government offices actually become paperless? “The PLO project completes only after all Government departments become ‘less-paper’ office. Though the IT and BT department is less-paper office, we have to use paper to communicate with other departments. Hence, each and every department needs to become less-paper office,” he pointed out.

The PLO is a part of the e-governance initiative and is aimed at enhancing efficiency and bring in transparency in administration. The project is being implemented in collaboration with Microsoft India.

Second phase

Manoli said, work on the second phase of the PLO project has commenced and it intends to cover all organisations coming under the adminsitrative control of the IT, BT and ST department. They are: Directorate of Information Technology and Biotechnology, Karnataka Biotechnology and Information Technology Services (KBITS), Karnataka State Remote Sensing Application Centre (KSRSAC), Karnataka Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS), Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST), Karnataka Science and Technology Academy (KSTA), Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP), Karnataka Rajya Vigyana Parishat (KRVP), Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

The second phase is likely to be completed in six months, and it will be followed by other Government departments, he added.

For effective monitoring and evaluation of the project, the department has constituted a Steering committee and Evaluation and Monitoring committee. The department Principal Secretary will be the chairman of these committees and heads of all organisations under the department are its members.

The Steering Committee will conduct meeting once in a month and send periodical reports to Government, while the Evaluation and Monitoring Committee will meet once in two months, table the report sent by the Steering Committee, analyse the problems, if any, faced in implementing the project and suggest remedial measures, he said.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/14547/it-bt-now-less-paper.html

Govt promoting bio-fuel
TNN 22 July 2009, 09:47pm IST

MYSORE: In an effort to promote bio-fuel as an alternative to petroleum products, the government has identified 6,400 hectares of degraded land
in eastern districts of the state for planting bio-fuel saplings.

Chairman of the taskforce on biofuels Y B Ramakrishna told reporters that in Mysore district, the plantation will be done in 300 hectares. Next year, 1,000 saplings will be planted in 1,200 hectares in 25 gram panchayats.

Of 6,400 hectares, bio-fuel saplings will be planted in 3,100 hectares of the forest degraded land by involving 96 village forest committees (VFCS) under the National Rural Employment guarantee scheme (NREGA). The remaining 3,300 hectares of the waste lands will be covered by bio-fuel species with involvement of 52 VFCs under the special development projects envisaged by Dr Nanjundappa report. In all, there are plans to bring over 1,00,000 hectares under the project in three years, said Ramakrishna.

Apart from planting five different species, efforts are on to grow short-term oil seed crops like castor which can be grown as the second crop on farmers land which would bring them additional income, he said.
Now, KSRTC and BMTC are running 500 buses on bio-diesel. The number of buses will rise to 5,500 at the end of this year, said Ramakrishna.

To expand the the arena of training and research activities, an innovative bio-fuel park has been established at Madenur village in Hassan district. Many such parks are planned in other parts of the state involving villagers. Programmes like oil extraction at home and village levels will also help generate employment in rural areas, he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/City/Mysore/Govt-promoting-bio-fuel/articleshow/4808734.cms

Solar power for 4 cities in the state: Minister
TNN 21 July 2009, 09:48pm IST

SHIMOGA: The state government has decided to convert three corporations and one city as solar cities, utilizing the assistance provided by the
Centre, said power minister K S Eswarappa.

Talking to media at Shimoga, he said, Bangalore, Mysore and Hubli-Dharwad corporations and Shimoga city municipal council will utilize only solar power instead of conventional power to run street lights, drinking water supply and for all government buildings' utility.
The project will help to save the demand for conventional power in these four cities and promote the utility of the non-conventional energy. He said the Union government has given its consent to share 40% of total expenditure incurred for implementing this project.

Expressing happiness over the rainfall in the state from the past 10 days, which has raised the water level at reservoirs and has helped to tide over the immediate power crisis, the minister said, as per the Met department, rains during the remaining part of this month will certainly fill the reservoirs to the brim.

With good inflow of water to Almatti Dam, the minister said, power generation has started and the state government has appealed to the Union government to accord its final approval by holding a tripartite talk with Tamil Nadu regarding the permission to start a 270 mw power generation unit at Shivanasamudra.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/City/Mangalore/Solar-power-for-4-cities-in-the-state-Minister/articleshow/4804310.cms

Bangalore, July 24 (IANS) The Karnataka government late Friday urged the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to set up a 2,000 MW greenfield nuclear power plant in the state to meet its growing demand for energy.

“I have told AEC chairman Anil Kakodakar to direct the state-run Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd (NPCL) to set up the greenfield atomic power station in Bijapur district in north Karnataka where land and other infrastructure facilities will be made available,” state Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa told reporters here.

Kakodakar, however, favoured a coastal site for setting up the new nuclear power plant for logistic and operational reasons on the lines of the NPCL-run Kaiga atomic power generation unit near Karwar on the western coast.

“Though an independent site selection committee will evaluate the locations for setting up such plants, a site in the coastal region will be advantageous to all stakeholders. It will be easier for equipment suppliers to transport their heavy equipment on ship and barge-mounted platform,” Kakodkar told the chief minister and top state officials.

The state also prevailed upon Kakodkar to expand the Kaiga plant capacity with two additional units of 700 MW each and offered to provide additional land or new site in the adjoining area.

“As the state lacks natural resources such as coal and gas, we have to rely on nuclear power to meet our growing energy needs. The power-starved state requires an additional 1400 MW from Kaiga facility to make up for the deficit,” Yeddyurappa said.

The Kaiga plant has four atomic units of 220 MW each with a combined installed capacity of 880 MW. Due to lack of uranium supplies, the units were not able to operate to their capacity over the last 10 months.

“With the India-US nuclear deal in place, we will not face supply constraint for nuclear fuels any more. We will be able to tie up with more global firms for steady import of uranium for the Kaiga plant’s existing and proposed units.” Kakodakar said.

The chief minister and the AEC chairman did not share details such as execution timeframe, upfront investment and employment potential in the proposed new plant and the expanded units.

The state is keen to locate the greenfield atomic power plant in Bijapur district where the state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is setting up a 4,000 MW plant so as to economise the cost of evacuation to the state grid.

The NTPC has set up a technical sub-committee for site inspection and prepare a feasibility study for expansion of Kaiga facility.

The state’s plea for a greenfield atomic power plant is in line with the central government’s target of generating about 20,000 MW through nuclear energy by 2020.


Source (http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/34010.htm)

State proposes, Kakodkar disposes
Bangalore, DH News Service:

The State government’s attempt to kickstart nuclear power projects in the state received a setback as the Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar gave a lukewarm response to both the proposals of the State government.


At a meeting attended by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Energy Minister Eshwarappa and Home Minister V S Acharya, the government proposed the site Mannur in Basavana Bagewadi taluk in Bijapur district for the setting up of a 2,100 MW capacity nuclear plant.

Energy Secretary K Jairaj said that the site was 10 kms from Kudigi and it was ideal for the plant site as land was easy to acquire and there were no environmental issues. The place is situated 350 kms from Goa and 30 kms from Almatti.

However, Kakodkar was not keen on the idea, as the site chosen was not a coastal place.

He said that all the nuclear power sites in the country were situated in the coastal area, as the heavy equipment needed to set up reactors would be difficult to transport by road.

He suggested that the government come up with alternative sites. But he promised that they would consider the Bijapur site and that a site selection committee would visit the place soon.

In view of the problem, Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao suggested going ahead with the setting up of two additional units at Kaiga (700x2) as the site was known and all the data available. Kakodkar shot the idea down saying that the first priority would be the setting up of greenfield site and the expansion plans at Kaiga would be taken up later.

Kakodkar also mentioned that uranium supply had eased increasing power generation in the nuclear plants.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/15745/state-proposes-kakodkar-disposes.html

BANGALORE: Despite Bangalore's real estate market showing signs of recovery, properties in tier-2 and tier-3 cities across Karnataka are still down in the dumps. Demand for both residential and commercial real estate in these cities is down by up to 35% as buyers are opting for cheaper options in Bangalore.

Mumbai-based developer Sunil Mantri has been eyeing the tier-2 market in Karnataka but he says the recovery in these markets is not likely anytime soon.

Says Sunil Mantri, Chairman, Sunil Mantri Realty: “The tier-1 city is very cheap and property prices are very competitive. Particularly in the IT segment. There would be an impact on tier 2 cities; because if Bangalore can offer Rs 20 rental people would be reluctant to go Mysore which can offer a rental of Rs 15. That is the competition we are facing in Tier 1 vs Tier 2 cities."

According to industry estimates, Mysore's real estate market has seen demand drop by 25-35%, while Mangalore has seen demand drop by 25-35%. This trend is similar in other Tier-2 cities down south like Kochi and Coimbatore has seen demand dropped by 15-25%.

Analysts say new projects in Tier-2 cities have been put on hold as there is already oversupply in these markets.

Karun Varma, MD, JLLM - Bangalore: Correction can be anywhere between 10% and 40% and that's what we've seen in tier 1 cities and that's also happening in tier 2 cities especially on new projects which have been announced.

Analysts say the recovery in the Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets will happen only after the Tier-1 market get back on the growth track. Developers are looking to push sales by cutting down prices in tier one cities and are looking to cash out of smaller markets to reduce risks.


Source: UTVi (http://www.utvi.com/utvilife/real-estate-market-news/27679/karnataka-tier-2-3-realty-still-down-.html)

Larger aim of JNNURM remains a distant dream

Nagesh Prabhu

BANGALORE: Redesigning, protests, delay in land acquisition, poor response from contractors, and re-tendering have delayed work on 17 infrastructure projects sanctioned for Bangalore and Mysore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

In a way the State has failed to reap the benefits accruing to it under the JNNURM in which the Centre bears 35 per cent of the cost for a metropolitan city such as Bangalore and 80 per cent of the cost for a two-tier city like Mysore. The larger aim of the JNNURM of converting Bangalore and Mysore into world-class cities has thus remained a distant dream.

With 17 projects proving to be non-starters, the State is yet to utilise Rs. 192.67 crore released by the Centre for these projects.

Of the 58 projects approved, only five have been completed. The poor response to tenders for several mega projects is the major reason for delay in the commencement of work, according to sources in the Chief Minister’s office.

The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 677.04 crore since 2006-07 for 58 projects in both cities — 47 projects for Bangalore at a cost of Rs. 3612.94 crore, and 11 projects for Mysore at a cost of Rs. 1012.40 crore.

Only four projects have been completed in Bangalore. They are construction of an underpass at Malleswaram Circle (Rs. 12.45 crore), construction of a grade separator at Yeshwanthpur junction (Rs. 21.57 crore), augmentation of drinking water scheme for seven erstwhile municipal councils, and construction of an underpass at Magadi Road-Chord Road junction (Rs. 27.82 crore).

Work on 13 projects in Bangalore has not commenced for various reasons. Construction of an underpass at Ring Road-Nagavara Road junction (Rs. 21.62 crore) has not been taken up because the project has to be redesigned on account of high water table in the area. Work on the underpass at Ring Road-C.N. Rao Circle junction (Rs. 22.60 crore) has been delayed owing to hurdles in land acquisition and permission for tree felling.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/27/stories/2009072755430700.htm

Gundya project to start despite objections


Express News Service
First Published : 26 Jul 2009 03:14:49 AM IST
Last Updated : 26 Jul 2009 09:15:19 AM IST

BANGALORE: Despite protests from environmentalists and forest department, the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) is all set to go ahead with its Gundya Hydro-electric Project (GHEP) after the Ministry of Environment
and Forest has given it a go-ahead for pre- construction activities .

The KPCL is waiting for the formal letter from MoEF which is expected to come through in August, when the Ministry will be meeting to get environmental clearances, said Muralidhar Rao, Technical Director, KPCL. Environmental clearance is the final hurdle in the path of the 200 MW GHEP .

Earlier in May, the foundation stone for GHEP was laid by the Chief Minister amidst high security and fear of protest from environmental groups. These groups claimed that the project was coming up in an ecologically sensitive area and would be peeling off the green cover in Western Ghats.


http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Gundya+project+to+start+despite+objections&artid=s8FT1i2oeOA=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=

repetation

Access to water has improved in most parts of the state but a major concern has been the quality of water. Fluoride contamination above the 1.0 parts per million (ppm) government norm has been found in 60 per cent of the cases across the states with 27 of the 28 surveyed districts registering its presence. Nitrate contamination was found in 20 per cent of the samples. Typically, nitrate contamination is from fertiliser runoff and contamination of water supply with human excreta.

These were the findings of Ashwas — A Survey of Household Water and Sanitation, conducted by Arghyam, a Bangalore-based non-governmental organisation to ascertain the status of household water and sanitation from a citizen’s perspective.

Another alarming finding of the survey was that open defecation is rampant with 72 per cent people resorting to open defecation. The survey respondents said that it was a great inconvenience and listed financial constraints and lack of space as the main reason for not building a toilet.

The survey, held over one year, covered 17,200 households across 28 districts of Karnataka and culminated in a detailed report that presents findings from state and district levels.

On the occasion, Karnataka governor H R Bharadwaj, who released the report, said, “The government should accept the results and act accordingly. We have to launch a movement for clean drinking water and the best way to manage it is through the institutions of local self-governance which are the gram panchayats. We must support them and provide them the funding to do their job effectively.”

On the occasion, secretary of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department, Karnataka, Ravi Kumar said the survey by an independent agency gives the government a different perspective - from the user’s point of view. “The report therefore cannot be brushed away and the government will act on it,” he added.

He said there are about 250,000 rural water supply schemes in the state but due to over-dependence on groundwater there are a lot of problems. About 20,000 habitations have poor water quality. Sanitation performance is unsatisfactory due to the gender gap. Although there is a great need among the women for toilets, the men are the decision-makers. There are also large regional disparities with North Karnataka being in very bad state compared to the rest of the state.


Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/reportwaterwake-up-call-for-karnataka/364556/)

Over dependence on groundwater is a problem in both rural & urban areas. Rain water harvesting has to be given importance in rural areas also. Sanitation needs to be improved to avoid mixing up of drainage water with ground water.

Rs. 1,411 crore set aside for urban development: Acharya

Staff Correspondent

Minister inaugurates 10-lakh-litre capacity water tank at Karkala

Civic bodies told to give priority for drinking water supply

Minister wants importance to be given to

widen roads

Karkala (Udupi district): Home Minister V.S. Acharya said on Sunday that the State Government was giving priority to development of towns and cities.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 10-lakh-litre capacity overhead tank at the Ramasamudra Water Supply and Treatment Plant here.

Dr. Acharya said that the Government had set aside Rs. 1,411 crore for the development of towns and cities in the State.

It was providing Rs. 15 crore each to every city municipality and Rs. 5 crore each to every town municipality for development. These grants would be released in two years.

Each town panchayat had been provided with Rs. 2 crore, he said.

He lauded the Karkala Town Municipal Council for drawing up a plan for utilising the Rs. 5 crore allocated to it.
Rain damage

Udupi district topped the State in rain damage.
Relief

The Government had released Rs. 5 crore each to six districts which were severely affected by rains, and Rs. 2 crore each to five districts which were moderately affected by rains. It had provided Rs. 1 crore each to other 18 districts to meet any contingency arising out of monsoon, he said.

The city and town municipalities should give priority to drinking water supply.

They should make plans, taking into account the drinking water needs of the next 25 years.

The Karkala Town Municipal Council should take steps to remove silt from the Mundali Dam, from where water was being supplied to the people. This would increase the water storage capacity of the dam, he added.
Roads

Priority should also be given to widening of roads in towns and cities. Efforts should be made to widen roads in Karkala wherever possible, without disturbing the places of worship. The main bus-stand in Karkala should be shifted to a less congested area, Dr. Acharya said.
Funds

The Government had decided to construct an 80-feet-wide road from Udupi to Athrady. It had released Rs. 5 lakh for immediate filling of potholes on the main roads in Karkala, he said.

MLA Gopal Bhandary presided over the function.

Member of Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary, president of Karkala Town Municipal Council Sitaram, vice-president Nalini Acharya, in-charge Deputy Commissioner Prasanna Kumar, executive officer of Karkala Town Municipal Council Madan, and municipal councillor Subadh Rao were among those present.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/27/stories/2009072758710300.htm

Synthetic track to come up at Davangere district stadium

Staff Correspondent

Sports Minister to issue order soon

Davangere promised proper sports infrastructure

DAVANGERE: Gulihatti Shekar, Minister for Sports and Youth Services, has promised to ensure that a synthetic track is laid at the district stadium here, for which an order will be issued in the next two months.

Speaking at the valedictory function of a three-day sports meet for government employees here on Sunday, he said the Government had made budgetary allocations for the laying of synthetic tracks in four districts. Davangere was one among them. He said he was aware that many athletes from Davangere had represented the State and the country in competitions and promised to provide the district with the necessary sports infrastructure.

The State-level government employees’ sports meet will be held in Mysore from August 5 and Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will inaugurate it.

Mr. Shekar said the Government was keen on organising sports meets for the general public too as they would promote bonhomie as well as ensure good physical health.

District in-charge Minister S.A. Ravindranath, who presided over the function, called upon government employees to treat those who came to their offices on work, courteously. Complaints of harassment would be looked into seriously, he said and emphasised that people should not be given the run-around.

Chief Whip in the Legislative Council A.H. Shivayogiswamy, who was present, said hundreds of sportspersons from the district had represented the country in various international competitions despite inadequate facilities and urged the Minister to convene a meeting of sportspersons, trainers, and officials to work out an action plan for sports infrastructure development.

Mayor of Davangere Umaprakash, Deputy Mayor B. Lokesh, Mayakonda MLA Basavaraj Naika and president of the district government employees’ union A.R. Ujanappa were present.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/28/stories/2009072853170300.htm

CMC gets Rs. 60 crore

Staff Correspondent

Chitradurga: S.K. Basavarajan, MLA, has announced new plans for the improvement of Chitradurga city. Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, he said that under the Karnataka Municipal Reforms Programmes and the Chief Minister’s Special Package, the Chitradurga City Municipal Council has received Rs. 60 crore to be utilised for taking up improvement works. Listing out the programmes, he said that a proposal had been made to build a new vegetable market at Sante Maidan area where the vegetable market located near Gandhi Circle and Sante Honda would be shifted.

He said that the decision had been taken following complaints from commuters and vegetable vendors that the area was congested for business and vehicular movement.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/30/stories/2009073053010300.htm

Govt passes order to release Rs 1.77 cr pending funds
Stadiums in Madikeri may be a reality soon
Madikeri:

The State government has passed an order to release pending Rs 1.77 crore for the completion of outdoor and indoor stadiums in Madikeri. With this, the government has released a sum of Rs 3.26 crore towards the development of two stadiums in the district.

For the development of outdoor stadium, the government had earmarked Rs 128.24 lakh in the budget. Accordingly, it had released Rs 50 lakh in the first phase. Now the government has passed an order to release pending Rs 79 lakh.

In the meantime, for the construction of indoor stadium, of the Rs 1.98 crore, the government had released a sum of Rs one crore. Now under 12th Finance Commission project, it has passed an order to release Rs 98 lakh, Youth Services and Sports department Assistant Director G Gayathri told Deccan Herald.

The work on indoor and outdoor stadium has already been commenced by Land Army Corporation. The work is under progress. However, owing to the rains, the work has been delayed. “As soon as the fund is released, we will finalise the project. We will also discuss with Land Army Corporation to speed up the work after monsoon.”

The work on construction of 550 metre compound wall around outdoor stadium is nearing completion. The work on laying Japan metal sheets above spectators gallery has been completed. After the monsoon, the work on underground drainage and 400 metres tracks will be undertaken.

The work on construction of pillars for the indoor stadium has already begun. Sports Commissioner has directed Land Army Corporation to complete the work on both the stadium by January 2010.

However, owing to the heavy rains, work can not be undertaken for four months. In this background, one can not rule out the fact that Land Army Corporation may require few more months to complete the work.

At the same time, the work on indoor stadium at Koodige Sports School is nearing completion. About Rs 15.13 lakh will be released for the completion of the work, Gayathri informed.

She said Rs 2 lakh has been released for organising district-level youth convention. “We will soon finalise the programmes,” she said and added that the Government has decided to increase the honourarium for wrestlers/sports personnel.

DH News Service

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/16691/stadiums-madikeri-may-reality-soon.html

UAS land likely for bus stand

Staff Correspondent

Madikeri: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has directed University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) authorities to cede three acres of land to the Madikeri City Municipal Council (CMC) for the construction of a private bus stand. A delegation of elected representatives from Kodagu met the Chief Minister in Bangalore on Tuesday to appeal for the release of land.

The UAS will be compensated with three acres near the Agriculture Research Station (ARS) in Ponnampet.

CMC Commissioner Srikant Rao told The Hindu that Mr. Yeddyurappa would visit Madikeri for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the project in the second or third week of August. He also said that the Forest College authorities had spoken to him on the telephone on Wednesday for details of the transfer of land. CMC president P.D. Ponnappa said that the bus stand would change the face of development in the city.

The Madikeri CMC has been sanctioned a special grant of Rs. 15 crore by the Chief Minister, and an equal sum was in the offing to take up other development works in the city, said Mr. Rao. A total of Rs. 1 crore would be earmarked for the construction of the bus stand from the first instalment, he added.

The World Bank had earlier sanctioned Rs. 1.60 crore for the construction of the private bus stand, but the fund was diverted following delay in securing UAS land. A few private bus operators and owners of commercial establishments around the current private bus stand had also opposed the relocation on the grounds that it would affect their business.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/30/stories/2009073052970300.htm

‘Rs 50 lakh has already been allotted for the construction’
Sports hostel will come up by March next year, says minister
Kolar:

Appropriate action will be taken to ensure the completion of the sports hostel being constructed at the Visvesvaraya Stadium in Kolar by March next year, said Minister for Youth Services and Sports affairs Goolihatti Shekar.

He was speaking after launching the works on the hostel taken up a cost a Rs 1 crore here on Thursday.

The works on the construction of the hostel should have begun earlier but due to the model code of conduct during the election it was delayed, expressed Goolihatti who said that the works was launched with complete co-operation of all the MLAs in Kolar district.
Rs 50 lakh has already been allotted and remaining amount will also be allotted shortly, Goolihatti added.

Football and Basketball will be promoted in the district, expressed Goolihatti who said that Land Army Corporation has been directed to complete the works by March.
Goolihatti cautioned that grants returned unutilised can’t be claimed again.

Due to the lack of staff only a in-charge deputy director has been appointed to the Youth Services and Sports Department in the district, noted Goolihatti who assured to appoint a deputy director shortly.

No personalities

None of the sports personalities or sportspersons who represent the district or the officials from various sports organisations attended the programme as the publicity to the programme was limited.

Instead school children from Suvarna School in the vicinity were brought into the programme.

The single stored sports hostel will come up on 480 sqmts. The ground will house library, dining hall, kitchen, store room, two offices and wearhouse where sports item would be kept.

The first floor will house 18 rooms for the sportspersons
Zilla Panchayat CEO G V Rangarao, Zilla Panchayat member Balaji Chennaiah, In-charge Deputy Commissioner N Shivaraj, City Municipal Council Vice-President V K Rajesh and senior journalist K Prahald Rao were present on the occasion.

DH News Service

Source (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/16914/sports-hostel-come-up-march.html)

Rs. 35-cr. proposal to upgrade dairy units in Bellary, Raichur

Staff Correspondent

Thimmareddy takes charge

750 beneficiaries to be brought under ‘Amrut’ scheme

BELLARY: Thimmareddy took charge as chairman of the Raichur, Bellary and Koppal Districts Milk Producers’ Union here on Thursday.

Ministers G. Janardhan Reddy and B. Sriramulu and T.H. Suresh Babu, Kampli MLA, were present.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Thimmareddy said that he would work for the welfare of farmers and development of the union.

As per the suggestion of Mr. Janardhan Reddy, a proposal would be sent to the Government seeking Rs. 35 crore for upgrading dairy plants in Bellary and Raichur districts to increase their capacity from one lakh litres to two lakh litres of milk, besides setting up a plant for preparing dairy products.

He said around 70,000 litres of milk was procured daily, while the sales crossed one lakh litres. To improve milk procurement, the number of milk producers’ societies in the three districts would increased and they would be provided better veterinary facilities and fodder godowns. “We want to create 200 new societies,” he added. Under the “Amrut” scheme, 763 beneficiaries had been provided milch cows. Steps had been taken to cover the remaining 750 beneficiaries, he said.

Facilities at the dairy were being upgraded using Rs. 3 crore provided to the union for 2007-08 under the special development plan for redressing imbalance in development.

The third batch of 52 farmers, including eight women, from Ittagi in Hadagali taluk would leave for Gujarat on August 7 to study dairy farming, he said.

They would also undergo a training programme there, he said. Prasanna, Managing Director of the union, and other directors were present.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/31/stories/2009073151260300.htm

The spot has a distinction of being the only public park in district
Rs 1 crore proposal to develop Raja seat Park submitted
Madikeri:

The Horticulture Department has submitted a proposal of Rs 1 crore to the Tourism Department through District Administration for the development of Raja Seat Park, which is a major tourist centre.

A view of Raja Seat Park in Madikeri. DH PhotoWhile the number of tourists, especially foreigners, increases considerably in Kodagu district, the District Administration joins hands with other departments for the tourism infrastructure development. Accordingly, the Tourism Department has been requested to sanction Rs 1.03 crore for the development of Raja Seat Park, situated in the heart of the city.

It is a fact that the historical Raja Seat Park is one of the major tourist spots in the district, which attracts majority of tourists. Moreover, the spot also has a distinction of being the only public park in the district. Now it has been decided in the proposal to extend the park area to 5 more acres of land. More tourists are expected to visit the spot after the development of the park.

The uniqueness of the spot is that tourists can enjoy the exciting view of sunset from the park. In addition, the musical fountain developed inside the park is also a centre of attraction for visitors.

There is also a proposal of constructing 5 observation points at a cost of Rs 25 lakh in the park and an observation tower at a cost of Rs 8 lakh. A total of Rs 20 lakh will be spent for the development of footpaths, while Rs 10 lakh will be used for the construction of artificial caves.

While Rs 30 lakh will be reserved for park development, Rs 10 lakh will be spent to install sprinklers to maintain greenery. The proposal of Rs 1.03 crore has already been handed over to the Tourism Department Director through Deputy Commissioner M K Baladevakrishna.

Horticulture Department Deputy Director Shakeel said that the Tourism Department has responded to the proposal positively. He said that the fund may be released for the development of the Park. The pond which caters water for Raja Seat Park has been cleaned and there will be no water shortage during summer, he added.
DH News Service

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/16905/rs-1-crore-proposal-develop.html

Work on basketball court to start soon

Staff Correspondent

Gulihatti Shekhar promises more funds for sports meets


Chitradurga: Minister for Sports and Textiles Gulihatti Shekhar has said that his Ministry will spend Rs. 2.5 crore on either of two projects: laying a synthetic track at the district stadium or developing the Government Science College Grounds.

He was speaking after inaugurating the district-level government employees’ sports meet, jointly organised by the district administration, the zilla panchayat, the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs and the district unit of the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association, at the district stadium here on Friday.

The Minister said that a decision would be taken on how the funds would be used in consultation with officials and local representatives.

He also said that Rs. 70 lakh would be spent on building a basketball court in Chitradurga city. “Work on the projects will begin within two months,” he added.

On the sports meet, Mr. Shekhar admitted that Rs. 25,000 was not enough for the exercise, but promised to have more funds released in future. “I will discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and try and get more funds allocated,” he said.

Funds released

About the State-level meet to be held in August in Mysore, he said that of the Rs. 25 lakh earmarked for the purpose, Rs. 5 lakh had already been released. He said the association had demanded an additional Rs. 15 lakh, but his Ministry had decided to release Rs. 9 lakh more.

Mr. Shekar also promised to ensure that tracksuits were provided to all employees from the district who participated in the State-level meet.

He urged the employees to increase their participation in sports events which would not only help them keep fit but also increase their energy level.

Addressing the gathering, zilla panchayat chief executive officer Rangegowda said sports activities would help overcome stress employees were facing.

Association district president K.J. Jagadish urged the Minister to build a separate gymnasium for the employees.

Sports officer Mohammad Muhibullah was present.


http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/01/stories/2009080151850300.htm

Rs 42 crore proposal ready for road repair
Kushalnagar, DHNS:

MLA M P Appachuranjan has said that a proposal for Rs 42 crore has been submitted to the government for repair of Kudige-Shirangala road in Madikeri-Hassan State highway by Karnataka State Road Development Corporation.

Inaugurating the newly built Kudige Gram Panchayat building at Kushalnagar on Friday he said that the funds will be released to the corporation after the issue is discussed in the cabinet session.

Good connectivity

He said that Government is contemplating to provide good connectivity between three taluk centres. Gram Panchayat President T P Hameed presided.

MLC S G Medappa, Zilla Panchayat President S N Rajarao, Taluk Panchayat President L M Lokesh and others were present.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/17318/rs-42-crore-proposal-ready.html

Finally, an indoor stadium at Bijapur

Staff Correspondent

Owing to lack of Government support, the project was kept in limbo

Bijapur: Bijapur will soon see a ready-to-use full-fledged indoor stadium, after a 13-year wait.

Built next to the B.R. Ambedkar stadium at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore, the stadium will be inaugurated by District in-charge Minister Govind Karjol on August 15.
Funds not released

Sources in the district administration told The Hindu that the then Deputy Commissioner M.R. Kamble, on realising the need for an indoor stadium here, submitted a proposal to the State Government seeking its establishment.

Although the State Government gave administrative approval to the project on February 12, 1996 and sanctioned Rs. 82 lakh for construction work, it failed to release the funds. The district administration, in October 1996, on permission from the Sports Ministry, began constructing the stadium of its own accord. It collected Rs. 22 lakh by way of proceeds from the Ranaji Cricket tournament that was held then and also managed to get Rs. 18 lakh from funds allocated under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme.
Construction stopped

With these funds, construction work was completed up to the slab level but work had to be stopped in 1997 owing to a cash crunch. Even after several pleas by successive Deputy Commissioners and elected representatives, the State Government failed to release funds for project completion.

After a 10-year gap, the Government revised the stadium plan and increased its estimated cost to Rs. 1.5 crore.
Four-phase plan

It also released Rs. 70 lakh in 2006-07 while the remaining amount was released in four phases, the sources said.
Facilities

With the amount, the authorities took up the remaining work which included completion of building, lighting, drinking water facility, toilets, office rooms for staff and dressing rooms.

The stadium will help train players in table tennis, basketball, volleyball and badminton, they added.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/03/stories/2009080351180200.htm

Rs. 15-crore draft plan for development of Madikeri

Staff Correspondent

Funds will be allocated under the Chief Minister’s Small and Medium Towns Development Project

Madikeri: A draft action plan of Rs. 15 crore has been prepared by the Madikeri City Municipal Council (CMC) authorities for the comprehensive development of the city.

Funds will be allocated under the Chief Minister’s Small and Medium Towns Development Project (CMSMTDP).

An ambitious programme to develop 20 headquarters of urban local bodies (ULBs) in two years and 199 taluk headquartered and other town panchayats in one year at a cost of Rs. 1,411 crore was prepared by the State Government under CMSMTDP recently, according to information received here.

Of the Rs. 15 crore, Rs. 8 crore will be utilised for construction of drains in the city. This is expected to avoid water stagnation during monsoon, which is one of the reasons for damage of roads. Two of the four slums in the city will be developed at a cost of Rs. 3 crore. The four slums are Indiranagar, Chamundeshwarinagar, parts of Mangaladevinagar and Tyagaraja Colony.

A sum of Rs. 1 crore each will be used for construction of retaining walls on Gowli Street and in front of the KSRTC bus-stand, building concrete road from Ram Mandir to Convent School junction and for developing the private bus stand area, now proposed to he shifted to the land under the University of Agricultural Sciences. A sum of Rs. 50 lakh will be spent on installing a 12-metre high 10 high mast lamps in parts of the city. An identical amount will be utilised by the CMC for the Kundamestri drinking water project. The draft plan is being prepared under the supervision of CMC president P.D. Ponnappa and Commissioner of the CMC Srikanth Rao.

Projects that will be taken up on priority under CMSMTDP are drinking water supply, sewerage lines, drains, solid waste management, roads, footpaths, upgrading slums and street lights. At least 20 per cent of the sum should be spent on the welfare of the poor. Funds for roads and footpaths should not exceed 50 per cent of the allotted grants. The draft development plan will be submitted to the district in-charge Minister for approval.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/03/stories/2009080351970300.htm

Work on installation of 18 feeders to be completed by August 15
Rs 30 cr for power reform in Kolar
Kolar,:

Union government has released a sum of Rs 30 crore to the district under Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (RAPDRP).


Speaking to press persons at Inspection Bungalow here on Saturday, Union Minister of State for Railways, K H Muniyappa said that the Union government has formulated the programme for reforms in power supply and a sum of Rs 400 crore has been released to Karnataka under the said programme.

“The amount has been released four months ago itself. However, the State government is not making serious efforts to utilise the grant as a result of which people have to face load shedding,” the minister stated. The funds can be utilised to take up necessary works for voltage stabilisation and load management.

Work in installation of six feeders in Kolar, four in Chintamani, three in Bangarpet, two each in Mulbagal and Gauribidanur, and one in Kolar Gold Fields has been taken up at a cost of Rs 91.20 lakh. The works must be completed by August 15, he disclosed.

Muniyappa said that Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts have received scanty rains this year as a result of which sowing has not taken place. Further, the period for sowing has also expired and hence the clouds of drought are hovering over the two districts.

Discussion with CM

In view of this situation, discussion will be held with the Chief Minister seeking Rs 10 crore for each taluk to take up drought relief works.

The chief minister will also be urged to take up survey work based on the Paramashivaiah report for ensuring a permanent irrigation project to the district, and release necessary funds for the purpose, the minister stated.

The minister called upon to give priority for creating rural infrastructure under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The beneficiaries of the scheme should be given work and paid wages as determined, he said.

Former legislator K Srinivasa Gowda has been expelled from the Congress for six years owing to his anti-party activities during Zilla Panchayat elections.

“What locus standi he has got to complain against me?” Muniyappa chided, revealing that all the leaders in his faction, will soon join the mainstream.

In-charge deputy commissioner N Shivaraj, who spoke on the occasion, informed that a Rs 8 crore proposal has been submitted to the government for supply of drinking water to the district.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/17505/rs-30-cr-power-reform.html

Karnataka, which has been in the forefront of setting a model for other states in the new economy sectors, is all set to usher in a second IT revolution.



The move follows the State’s bid to give shape to an Information Technology Investment Regions (ITIRs) policy mooted by the Union Ministry of Information Technology & Communications.

The State government through its nodal agency—Karnataka Electronics Corporation (Keonics)—has identified five corridors for setting up the proposed ITIRs.

The ITIR policy is aimed at promoting investment in IT, ITeS and electronic hardware manufacturing (EHM) sectors. The corridors identified for ITIRs are Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum, Bangalore-BIAL-Devanahalli, Mangalore-Surathkal-Udupi, Shimoga - Bhadravathi and Bangalore - Tumkur regions.

However, how far the new move would lure investors into ITIRs is debatable given that some of the IT parks in State’s Tier-II cities have elicited only muted response.

Official sources told Deccan Herald that each ITIR is expected to be in a 40-sq km area covering 10,000 acres in each region. The ITIRs would boast of excellent infrastructure so that prospective investors can reap the benefits of networking and greater efficiency through common infrastructure and support services. Such a complex would also help boost exports and generate employment.

Sources said Keonics had invited expression of interest (EoI) from consultants to prepare a techno-economic pre-feasibility report (TER), in the first phase, for the Hubli-Dharwar-Belgaum ITIR. Of the three consultants—PriceWaterhouse Coopers Pvt Ltd (PWC), IL&FS and Mott MacDonald—shortlisted for giving technical presentation, PWC and Mott MacDonald were chosen. The two would undertake necessary survey and submit a techno-feasibility report (TFR) which will go into the identification of government and private land available for acquisition, water availability and power. Since undertaking the TFR, to be submitted in 60 days, would cost over Rs 30 lakh to Rs 3 crore, the proposal has been set for financial clearance. The government is keen to take up an ITIR in the Bangalore-BIAL-Devanahalli region as well simultaneously, EoI has been invited from consultants for TFR.

The ITIRs would also host processing facilities where IT, ITeS and EHMs would be located and non-processing areas, which will include residential, commercial and other social and institutional infrastructure. The minimum processing area for ITIR will be about 40 per cent of the total designated area. The ITIRs may include SEZs, industrial parks, free trade and warehousing zones and export-oriented units. To be developed on public-private partnership, the centres will ensure external physical infrastructure linkages—roads, airports, and rail. Each ITIR will have large IT/ITeS/EHM units. While ITIRs will be built and managed by a developers, other facilities would be provided by the Centre and State government.


Source: Deccan Herald (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/17726/second-boom-cards.html)

SHIMOGA: President of the Shimoga City Municipal Council N.J. Rajasekhar said here on Monday that the Government had released Rs. 15 crore as special grant to the council.

Disclosing this at a press conference, he said that several development schemes would be taken up under the special grant.

The schemes are the construction of an exhibition hall at Millaghatta at a cost of Rs. 4 crore, widening of roads at a cost of Rs. 4 crore, development of the Gandhi Park and Bal Bhavan at a cost of Rs. 1 crore, repairs to drains and roads damaged by excessive rain at a cost of Rs. 3 crore and the development of main roads at a cost of Rs. 3 crore.

He said that proposals for these works had been sent to the Deputy Commissioner for approval.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/04/stories/2009080452340300.htm)

SHIMOGA: Minister for Energy K.S. Eshwarappa said here on Sunday that the Union Government had sanctioned Rs. 18 crore for the construction of 600 houses in the 47 declared slums in Shimoga city.

He said that each house would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.55 lakh. He said that the contribution of beneficiaries was Rs. 18,000 each if they belonged to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Rs. 20,000 each in case of others.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/04/stories/2009080452320300.htm)

It will be Rs. 6,000 crore more than the plan size for 2009-10
State has sought Rs. 6,000 more than last year’s allocation
Rs. 1,400 crore from calamity fund to come in instalments



BANGALORE: A delegation led by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will visit New Delhi on August 12 to hold a meeting with the Planning Commission to discuss the annual plan size for the State.

State Government’s Special Representative in New Delhi V. Dhananjay Kumar told presspersons here on Monday that the State would submit a proposal for Rs. 29,500 crore, which was about Rs. 6,000 crore more than the plan size for 2009-10.

Several Ministers would accompany the Chief Minister to New Delhi and urge the Planning Commission to approve the State’s proposed plan allocation.

Calamity fund

Mr. Dhananjay Kumar said the Centre had released Rs. 83.83 crore to the State out of the Rs 1,500 crore recommended by the Central team under the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) last year. The amount was towards the September 2008 allocation. “We will receive the remaining Rs. 1,400 crore in monthly instalments in due course,” he said. The Centre had released Rs. 14.28 crore from the Special Component of the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme. The release of funds came following a meeting of the High-Level Committee of Government of India held on July 1 after receiving a request from the State for assistance to tackle drought in September 2008. Mr. Dhananjay Kumar lashed out at the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah for criticising the financial situation of the State outside the Legislature after losing time in the recently concluded Budget session of the State Legislature. “During the 15-day session, convened specifically to discuss the Budget, the Opposition allowed a debate on the subject for no more than seven hours. But, outside the Legislature, they make nasty comments,” he said. Mr. Kumar also released a copy of a letter sent by MPs of coastal Karnataka to Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa seeking a day train between Bangalore and Mangalore, extending up to Karwar via Udupi-Kundapur.

The letter signed by MPs Nalin Kumar Kateel, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Ananth Kumar Hegde, besides Mr. Kumar, had rejected Mr. Muniyappa’s reply given in the Lok Sabha on the subject that introduction of a day train was not possible because of the ghats along the route. “This is unfortunate. As you are aware, presently goods trains are running in this area during the day. Running one more train during the day may not be a problem for the Railways and it will cater to the needs of the commuting public,” said the letter.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/04/stories/2009080452820500.htm)

Bangalore (PTI): In an ambitious roadmap, the state-run Sri Kanteerava Studios here has proposed to establish 150 film theatres in 'B' and 'C' centres of Karnataka with private sector and industry participation, in a bid to promote Kannada cinemas.

The Studios' Chairman Girish Mattannavar told PTI that it's an estimated Rs 200 crore project.

"B" centres refer to taluks and "C" to Hoblis, which are villages of a taluk grouped into smaller clusters.

He said the private sector was enthusiastic about the venture, adding, the Studios was keen to get players of Kannada film industry also on board for the initiative.

The idea was to build malls housing film theatres, shopping complexes and community halls, similar to what one sees in Bangalore, in "B' and 'C" centres, so that people could do multiple activity.

"The private sector is very much interested. We will give land, and electricity subsidy, while the private sector will undertake construction and have 'minimum management' in the ventures", Mattannavar said.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200908041321.htm)

BELLARY: Specialised plans to encourage tourism in Bellary and Chamrajnagar districts are ready, Tourism Department Director Vishwanath Reddy said here on Tuesday. The Department has such plans for all districts in the State, he added.

Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Reddy said that the Infrastructure Development Corporation – Karnataka (IDEC-K) was preparing the plans.
The plans aimed to identify all places of tourist interest in the districts, and provide infrastructure and develop the sites. Agencies for implementation of the plan would soon be fixed with all stakeholders participating, Mr. Reddy said.

In Bellary district, IDEC-K had identified 39 places of tourist interest, well-known and otherwise. The list did not include Hampi which was already an international tourist destination. Bellary Fort, pilgrim centres such as Ujjini and Kottur and Kenchanagudda, the site of the anicut built during the time of the Vijayanagar kings, were some of the places earmarked in the plan, he said.

Mr. Reddy said that the plan was presented at a stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday. Tour operators and hoteliers participated at the meeting.

Mr. Reddy, during his day-long visit to Bellary, accompanied by renowned historian Ravi Korishettar and naturalists Santosh Martin and Samad Kottur toured the Sangankal area which is known as the earliest village settlement in south India. Hunters and gatherers of the Neolithic period settled on top of the hill approximately 5,500 years ago, cultivating crops and manufacturing tools using stones. They also visited the Sangankal museum that is coming up at the cultural complex in the city and reviewed the progress.

He said that the Tourism department had earmarked Rs. 2 crore for preservation and development of the Sangankal area.

He also said that Rs. 50 lakh had already been released for the purpose.

Deputy Commissioner Shivappa said that steps had been taken to ban quarrying in and around the Sangankal area. Work on basic infrastructure such as catering, approach road, view points and parks would commence soon, he added.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/05/stories/2009080551740300.htm)

GADAG: Tourism and Infrastructure Minister G. Janardhan Reddy has said that Gadag will soon have an airstrip, a ring road and 250-bed hospital with advanced facilities.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for the statue of Basaveshwara at Bhishma Kere here on Monday, the Minister said that steps were being taken for the comprehensive development of Gadag. A sum of Rs. 2 crore was being spent on an Ambedkar Bhavan and Rs. 2 crore on a four-lane road near Gadag.

Mr. Reddy said that Rs. 8 crore was being spent on the statue and related work, which included presenting the biography of Basaveshwara through paintings.

The statue would be the tallest in the State and Rs. 3 crore had been released for the purpose. The work was likely to be completed in two years.

The Minister said that steps were being taken for construction of 13 airports, 10 airstrips and 28 helipads in the State and 60,000 km of roads were being developed on the basis of public-private partnership.

Inaugurating the programme, Chairman of the Legislative Council Viranna Mattikatti termed the work of installing the statue of Basaveshwara an act that showed commitment towards the tenets advocated by the social reformer.

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar said that the statue would inspire people, especially the youth, to imbibe the values of Basaveshwara.

Public Works Minister C.M. Udasi said that his department had implemented projects worth Rs. 14 crores in the district.

District in-charge Minister B. Sriramulu said that Bhishma Kere, where Basavanna’s statue would be installed, would be developed on the lines of the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir. The Government had plans to start a medical college in Gadag district.

The Health Minister said that “Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Vima Yojane” being implemented in five districts on a pilot basis would be extended to other districts in the coming days. This would benefit around 80 lakh people living below the poverty line, he added.

Sri Tontada Siddhalinga Swamiji spoke. Sri Annadaneshwara Swamiji of Mundaragi, Sri Siddharama Swamiji of Shirahatti, Pandit Puttaraj Gawai, Sri Abhinava Shivananda Swamiji and Sri Vijayam Mahanta Swamiji were present. Shrishailappa Bidarur, MLA, presided over the function.

Earlier, the dignitaries performed “bhoomi puja” for a 250-bed hospital at Mallasamudra in Gadag, four-lane road between Manvi Halla and Mulgund Naka and an Ambedkar Bhavan at Keshavnagar in Gadag.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/05/stories/2009080551650300.htm)

Karnataka is all set to steal the march over other mineral-rich states in promoting steel production with the B S Yediyurappa government deciding to set up a 540 sq km integrated steel complex in the iron ore-rich Bellary Hospet area of the state. If the state has its way, then four major behemoths including state-run mining giant NMDC and Tata Steel would expand their capacities there in a massive way.

“They (the Karnataka government) are setting up a huge industrial zone in the Bellary Hospet area of the state wherein they have invited four companies- National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), Tata Steel, JSW and Brahmani to set up at least 2 million tones capacity steel plants each there. All the companies including NMDC are readily willing to do so provided they are assured adequate raw material linkage and allied infrastructure benefits,” official sources said and pointed out that the state government wants Bellary Hospet area to become a prosperous one by riding high on its mineral-resources. In a bid to expedite investments in the proposed projects, the state has asked the Vijaynagar Area Development Authority (VADA) to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to set up a port at Tadri, which has a good draft, to facilitate sea-based logistics. “The SPV, wherein NMDC has been invited to participate is also planning to set up a railway line connecting the proposed port to the hinterland,” sources said. The total envisaged investment for all the four steel plants is likely to be more than Rs 25,000 crore, sources said.

When contacted, NMDC Chairman and Managing Director Rana Som said, “NMDC considers it as a matter of honour and opportunity to set up a state-of-the-art steel plant in Karnataka where it is already operating two mines and is expecting shortly allocation of the prized Ramandurg mines in which it did the prospecting and had been the first applicant. We want to assess the viability and taking prompt actions. Apparently the project will be viable. Our thrust here is to manufacture quality steel, which will be the best for any industry.” The PSU has already taken a lead over others by acquiring 300 acres of land for building residential accommodation for poor people and handing it over to the state government.


Source: IE (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/karnataka-plans-integrated-steel-complex-in-bellary-hospet/497164/2)

As part of its initiative to grow and conserve medicinal plants, the Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation (KSFIC) will soon start a medicinal plant project at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada, its top official said.

"The project is under the active consideration of the national Medicinal Plants Board and is expected to be sanctioned any time. Meanwhile, a trial plantation of medicinal plants has already been taken up this year", KSFIC Managing Director A K Verma said.

This is a model project which KSFIC plans to replicate in Bangalore and Shimoga, he said.

The Indian market for medicinal plants (found in forests) is Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 1,OOO crore worth of such medicinal plants in the form of extracts and medicines are exported annually, he said.

"Extracts of plants like Garcenia (used in manufacture of anti-obesity drugs),Amruthaballi and Texas Baccata (for making anti-cancerous drugs), Ashwamedha (rejuvenation) and Rowlphia (for making drugs for high blodd pressure) are in great demand in countries like Germany, US and Japan", Verma said.

There was also an increasing demand for extracts of plants like aloevera, sandalwood, turmeric, champa and leomon grass used in making herbal cosmetics, he said.

Verma said KSFIC is also looking at establishing bio-fuel and pelletisation plants in Dandeli and Shimoga, besides reviving the green grass dehydration and pelletisation plant (for cattle fodder) in Sirsi set up in 1977-78, but shut down due to paucity of raw material.

"Detailed discussions are on with interested private investors to take up the projects under public-private partnership", Verma said.

KSFIC is also contemplating production of bamboo mats in partnership with Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute (IPRTI), he said.

"We also want to ensure that entire logging and sale of timber is done by KSFIC, as in other states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This will improve the efficiency of the forest department", he said.

"We are seriously contemplating opening timber yards in Mangalore which has lot of potential. In this regard, the management has already sent a proposal to various public sector undertakings for supply of wood for their furniture", he said.

The corporaton also planned to modernise its wood working unit in Bangalore, he said.

Bangalore headquarted KSFIC has a share capital of Rs 3 crore and has six units in Mysore, Shimoga, Dharwad, Mangalore, Sirsi and Dandeli.

KSFIC is involved in logging, commercial pulpwood supply to industries, running of subsidised firewood depots, apart from manufacturing block boards and flush boards with the seasoning kiln facilities at Bangalore unit.

KSFIC is also engaged in import of timber, export of sandalwood, supply of polythene bags and barbed wire to the forest department.


Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ksfic-to-soon-initiate-medicinal-plant-project-in-sirsi/69991/on)

Public sector banks faced with continued slack credit offtake are pitching hard for funding the big ticket BHEL-Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd project.

Banking sources said interest in the joint venture power project was largely due to the absence of major bankable issues, particularly in view of the public sector character of the project.

BHEL and KPCL hold a 52% equity stake in the 2,400 MW project to be located in Edlapur-Eramarus in Raichur district of Karnataka. Infrastructure Development Finance Company Ltd is expected to hold 48% stake.

The cost of the power project is estimated at INR 12,000 crore and 80% of the funding about INR 9,600 crore is to be through debt. At least 70% of the project cost would be for equipment all of which would be supplied by BHEL.

Despite the high debt component, public sector banks remained unfazed. This was because the debt service coverage ratio was expected to be well over the mandated 1.5.

Banks’ interest in State sponsored projects is also driven by the low demand for credit from the corporate sector. Most banks are operating at incremental credit deposit ratios of less than 25%.


Source: Business Line

MYSORE: The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) facility, the first such project in the country, established in partnership with the private sector by the state government for providing job opportunities to rural populace was launched at Baburanya Koppal, near Srirangapatana in Mandya on Friday.

Minister for Information Technology and Biotechnology Katta Subramanya Naidu inaugurated the BPO facility, aimed at preventing exodus of rural population to urban centres. The Minister said that the government had plans to generate about 1 lakh jobs for the rural population through such BPO facilities in the next five years to prevent people from migrating to cities.The programme is intended to get the educated men and women in the villages and semiurban areas employed.

HIGHLIGHTS

Private-public venture
Similar projects to come up in Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar, Saligrama in Hassan and Shigaon in a month
Plans to generate 1 lakh jobs in five years.



Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Minister+launches+BPO+project&artid=lDzRKfCcp9I=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=XT7e3Zkr/lw=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

MANGALORE: Hutti gold mines in Raichur district, the only mine in India where gold ore is extracted and gold produced, can continue to function viably for the next 60 years. The only thing that Hutti Gold Mines Limited (HGML), government of Karnataka concern needs to do to ensure this is to meet technical corrections suggested by the Directorate-General of Mines Safety and the company (HGML) is in the process of doing the same.

Hutti is the deepest non-coal mine in the country. The level of technical management at the company is not very high, according to S J Sibal, Director-General of Mines Safety. Sibal addressing reporters here on Saturday said there is not much of strata control at Hutti. Little attention is paid to planning and rock mechanics and individual officers are taking decisions based on their wisdom that is not accompanied by research and development.

Observing that the present depth of the Hutti mine is around 680 metres, Sibal said there is enough indication of adequate gold reserves being available there to ensure commercial viability of mining over the next five levels. Each level is a drop of around 60 metres, Sibal explained. The HGML management has been proactive to our suggestions and is doing its bid to ensure that the mine is run on commercial lines, Sibal said.

Some of the technical corrections suggested by Directorate-General of Mines Safety include increasing the diameter of the mineshaft to seven meters. This, Sibal said will enable heavy machinery to be taken to the lower levels. A report submitted by Pannigrahi, faculty of Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad and acted up on by the HGML management has improved the air ventilation inside the mines, Sibal added.

The company apparently has floated global tenders to meet the technical corrections suggested to them, Sibal said adding that the company produced around 2,700 kg of gold in the last fiscal against its highest annual production of around 3,000 kg. The continuation of Hutti gold mines is critical given that the other gold mine in the country, also in Karnataka at Kolar has since been closed, Sibal observed.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/mangalore/Hutti-can-be-mined-for-another-60-yrs/articleshow/4872057.cms)

Karwar: Government has sanctioned a huge amount for the first time to Karwar municipality for infrastructure development in the municipal limits this year, stated Anand Asnotikar, Minister for Fisheries, Science and Technology. Asnotikar addressed the gathering after he inaugurated an auditorium built on the premises of the higher primary school at Binaga on Saturday.

He notified that the government has sanctioned Rs. 20 crores this year and had released Rs.7.5 crores as special grant to municipality last year. He cited that the infrastructure development in the municipal limits will also include Binaga village and the plan to solve the drinking water problem in Binaga village is in progress.

Asnotikar further affirmed that Goolihatti Shekhar, Minister for Sports and Youth Services, has assured to release Rs. 11 crores to develop Maladevi ground for the improvement of sports activities.

Ganapati Ulvekar, Municipal president, presided over the event. The ministers also inaugurated a community hall near Kunthimayi temple.


Source (http://www.sahilonline.org/english/news.php?catID=coastalnews&nid=6122&viewed=0)

With decks cleared for the formation of the much-awaited IT & ITeS special economic zone (SEZ) as also multi-storied IT Park in Shimoga in the joint sector by the Centre’s Board of Approvals (BoA), the project has been put into mission mode.

Official sources told Deccan Herald on Wednesday, that the State government would soon invite Expressions of Interest (EoI) from prospective developers and co-developers who want to set up shop at the 25 acre Shimoga SEZ.

For the proposed Rs 25.80 crore project a budget provision of Rs 10 crore has been provided as equity support to State-owned Karnataka Electronics Corporation Limited (Keonics), — which will take up the monitoring, execution and development of the SEZ. It will also be engaged in development of infrastructure facilities such as roads, connectivity, and other essentials, they said.

Required approvals

“Two to three developers have already evinced interest in taking up space in the SEZ to develop and set up operations after receipt of necessary approvals from the regulatory authorities,” they added. Prospective developers can either themselves occupy the space developed by them or also rent/lease out the space to those companies interested to put their facility and can also co-opt other developers to help them in setting up the project.

The SEZ will see a 100 per cent processing area with specified common infrastructure exclusive for the occupants of SEZ and upon completion envisaged to generate employment to over 2,000 professionals besides large chunk of indirect employment. It is also expected to generate export revenues of Rs 250 crore over a five-year period.
Further, sources said, it is also proposed to develop a non-SEZ area on a five acre plot adjacent to SEZ for proposed multi-storeyed IT park under public-private partnership which will house non-export oriented units.

The initial capital investment into the project, to be located near Machenahalli Village on Shimoga-Bhadravathi highway, is around Rs 8 crore they said which will boast of facilities like coffee shops/food courts, guest suites, business centres, besides other key


Source: DH (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/19286/state-invite-expression-interest-shimoga.html)

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday said the tendering process for the development of 10,000 km of roads, including widening of the existing Bangalore-Mysore Road, would be held in September.

The exercise had been delayed for over six months due to technical reasons.

Yeddyurappa, in his Independence Day address at the Manekshaw Parade Ground here, said the development of roads would be taken up on a public-private partnership model. The government had announced the road project in 2008. However, the tendering process was delayed because of poor response from private parties. The chief minister said work on building airports at Gulbarga and Shimoga had already begun. Development of Hassan and Bijapur airports and upgradation of Hubli, Belgaum and Mangalore airports was under way, he said.

The annual Plan size for the year 2009-2010 had been fixed at Rs 29,500 crore, he said, adding that the Plan size in the previous year was Rs 21,819 crore. Financial experts had applauded the increase in the Plan size, despite the global recession, he said. He announced a hike in the monthly honorarium for freedom fighters from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000. Those who took part in the Goa Liberation Movement would be given an honorarium of Rs 2,000 a month. The hike will come into effect from this month.


Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/19885/tender-mega-projects-sept.html)

747 small industries set up in State in last fiscal
4,869 people provided employment

HUBLI: Large and Medium Industries Minister and district-in-charge Minister Murugesh Nirani has said that the process of acquiring 4,258 acres of land for the Chennai-Bangalore-Mumbai Express Corridor is on.

He was addressing a gathering at the R.N. Shetty Stadium in Dharwad on Saturday after hoisting the national flag. The Minister said that the process of acquiring 500 acres of land for the IT Special Economic Zone was also on.

Mr. Nirani said that 747 small industries were set up in the State with an investment of Rs. 55.41 crore during the last financial year providing employment to 4,869 people.

The Minister said that several works were being implemented under the Rs. 100-crore grant given to Hubli-Dharwad for infrastructure development. He said steps were being taken to make the twin cities “dust free” and provide round-the-clock power supply in all the 67 wards of Hubli-Dharwad. A sum of Rs. 140 crore was being spent on development of underground drainage and storm water drainage, he said.

Mr. Nirani said: “It is our responsibility to remember the sacrifice of freedom fighters and take an oath in their name that we will dedicate ourselves for the creation of an ideal State.”

The Minister listed out the various development initiatives and schemes being implemented by the State Government for the benefit of the people. He said that approval had been to given to prepare action plan for the expansion of horticultural crops in the district at a cost of Rs. 2.04 crore, which would benefit 4,000 farmers, he said.

Members of three families of army personnel who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country were given cheques issued by the Department of Soldiers’ Welfare.

Recipient of police medal at the national level Basavaraj Kundagal was felicitated. MLAs Chandrakanth Bellad, Seema Masuti, zilla panchayat member Geeta Marilingannavar, Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain and zilla panchayat chief executive officer C. Shikha participated in the celebrations.

At the Nehru Stadium in Hubli, Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Commissioner P.S. Vastrad, MP Pralhad Joshi and Hubli-Dharwad Mayor Viranna Savadi took part in the celebrations.

In Hubli also schoolchildren enthralled the audience with their exuberant performances.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/16/stories/2009081651400300.htm)

Gas-based stations planned at Bidadi and Challakere
Regular permission for Gundia project expected shortly

SHIMOGA: Minister for Energy K.S. Eshwarappa said here on Saturday that the Atomic Energy Commission would soon send a team of experts to go into the feasibility of establishing an atomic power station to be set up at Mannur in Bijapur district.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, held a detailed discussion with the Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, in Bangalore recently. He said that the proposed atomic power station would have two units of 600 mw each.

He said that the Union Government had agreed to set up gas-based power stations at Bidadi near Bangalore and Challakere in Chitradurga district.

Asked about the reported objection raised by the Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment Jairam Ramesh to the hydel project at Gundia in Hassan district, he said that his Ministry had accorded preliminary permission for it and regular permission was expected to be accorded shortly.

He said that permission was expected for the proposed thermal projects at Hanakon and Tadadi in Uttara Kannada.

He said that the State would become self-sufficient on the power front in the next three-a-and-half years when all the new and on-going projects would be implemented. He said that while the power requirement of the State was about 11,000 mw, the availability was only 7,000 mw.

He said that the Government had chalked out short-term, mid-term and long-term programmes to make the State self-sufficient on the power front by fully exploiting power generating potential through hydel, thermal and non-conventional methods.

He said that the eighth unit of the Raichur Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 250 mw and the LANCO Power Project near Udupi with a capacity of 500 mw would become operational by the end of this year.

Stating that it would be possible to overcome power shortage by adding 1,250 mw power every year to the State’s Grid in the next three years, Mr. Eshwarappa said that demand for power had been increasing by 10 per cent every year.

He said that a long-term programme drawn up to generate 8,400 mw of power in the next 10 years included the installation of a thermal power station with 4,000 mw capacity at Kudigi in Bijapur district, thermal power stations with 600 mw capacity each at Jewargi in Gulbarga district.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/16/stories/2009081651320300.htm)

Belgaum: Minister for Water Resources Basavaraj Bommai has said that 1.16 lakh acres of agriculture lands has been brought under irrigation during the last one year in the State. He said that growers should use every drop of water in an economical way to boost food production in the State.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/16/stories/2009081651380300.htm)

BANGALORE: The Union Government has allocated Rs. 410 crore to the State under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) for re-orienting development strategies in agricultural and allied sectors in 2009-10.

The scheme was launched in 2007-08 and the State spent Rs. 152 crore and Rs. 314 crore, respectively in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The objectives of the programme are to encourage the States to increase public investment in agriculture and allied sectors, and achieve 4 per cent growth rate in the sector at the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-12).

The funds allocated this year will be utilised for development of APMCs, construction of godowns in rural areas, implementation of Bhoo Chetana programme, development of fisheries, to impart technology and marketing facilities to farmers and implementation of projects under other agricultural allied activities, officials in the Agriculture Department told The Hindu. The State Level Sanctioning Committee meeting on July 30, under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao, approved projects worth Rs. 339.36 crore. The next meeting will finalise projects for the remaining Rs. 70.64 crore.

The approved projects will be implemented by Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, and Agricultural Marketing departments, University of Agricultural Sciences of Dharwad and Bangalore, Karnataka State Seeds Corporation, Karnataka Warehousing Corporation and the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore.

Of the Rs. 410 crore, Rs. 5 crore has been allocated for development of APMCs in Raichur, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bijapur, Gadag, Chitradurga, Koppal, Bagalkot, Bellary and Mandya districts. A sum of Rs. 8 crore has been sanctioned for construction of godowns in rural areas of Gulbarga, Bagalkot, Gadag, Davangere and Haveri districts.

The committee allocated Rs. 14 crore for implementing the Bhoo Chetana programme to improve soil fertility and crop yield in dry-land areas in 24 districts. A major objective of the programme is to increase crop yield by 20 per cent in dry-land areas. The programme is being implemented in Kolar, Chickaballapur, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Haveri, Dharwad, Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bellary, Koppal, Gadag, Davangere, Chamarajanagar, Mysore, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Belgaum, Ramanagara, Bangalore (Rural), Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Hassan, and Mandya districts.

Officials said Rs. 100 crore has been allocated to the Karnataka State Seeds Corporation for procurement and distribution of seeds, Rs. 60 crore for promoting mechanised farming, Rs. 22.5 crore for diversification of horticultural crops, Rs. 41.5 crore for programmes of the Animal Husbandry Department, Rs. 18.69 crore for development of fisheries and Rs. 27.5 for UAS of Dharwad and Bangalore, for research activities.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/21/stories/2009082153990400.htm)

Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had taken up a novel project to map 126 Industrial units in the State by using new technology.

KIADB sources told UNI yesterday to ensure development of Industrial areas and attract more investment to the State, it was proposed to map 126 individual industrial units with Geographical Information System(GIS) to have access to the availability of plots and implementation of projects to allottees.

The Board would computerise its activities, including acquisition, development and allotment of land, as well as linking the headquarters with field level officers for better governance.

KIADB Chief Development Officer Prabhakara Chenni said before launching the GIS project in the State, the board would map 'Peenya Industrial Area' in Bangalore and 'Dobbespet Industrial Area' on the Bangalore Pune highway, as important industrial units in Bangalore , on a pilot basis for the purpose of development.

After the successful mapping, the remaining industrial units would be taken up. The project would help us understand the project and make improvements, Mr Chenni added.

The GIS mapping was useful for explaining the profile of industrial units since it would incorporate all the information prospective, industrialists and investors wanted.

KIADB sources said MPs give complete data such as vacant plots, water supply lines and drainage. Besides giving the existing extent of the industrial unit, it also gives inputs on the proposed expansion of the industrial unit. Since its inception, the KIADB has developed 126 industrial units, covering an area of about 40,000 acres in the State.

Peenya, Electronics City and the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) in Bangalore, Hebbal in Mysore, Baikampady in Mangalore, Tarihal in Dharwad, Kakat in Belgaum and the auto complex in Shimoga are among the prominent industrial areas developed by the board.

With Karnataka being promoted as a premier destination for industrial ventures, the onus was on KIADB to ensure balanced industrial development in all regions of the State.

According to the board, firms have experience in handling large GIS-base mapping, survey, software development and implementation of customised webset and applications were invited to submit proposals for implementing the project.

A team of professionals, who have handled similar projects would execute and monitor the project in the beginning. As the maps have to be periodically updated, the KIADB has asked the interested agencies to train its officers on the issue.

Technical Consultancy Services Organisations of Karnataka (TECSOK) has been authorised to collect informations from interested organisations and consortiums, the sources added.


Source: Central Chronicle (http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=13001)

SHIMOGA: Following the Central government’s approval, the state government will implement the Sivasamudram hydel power project at the earliest, said Power Minister KS Eshwarappa on Saturday.


Source: expressbuzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Sivasamudram+project+will+be+implemented%E2%80%99&artid=osibaaCIj8U=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=XT7e3Zkr/lw=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=JD(S)%20Legislative%20Assembly%20HD%20Revanna)

To roll out 1,000 MW greenfield capacities in Karnataka, Gujarat and AP.
NTPC signs MoU with Karnataka Power Corporation for setting up 500 MW wind power capacity
The total investment for this venture is estimated at around Rs 2,500 crore

New Delhi, Aug. 22 Amid increasing challenges on the fuel front, NTPC is fast-tracking plans on diversifying its fuel mix, with wind power a key thrust area in the renewables space.

The thermal power major is working on plans to begin rolling out a cumulative 1,000 MW of greenfield wind power installations across Karnataka, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh over the next few years, company officials said.

The company’s first wind project is expected to come up in Karnataka, with wind farms totalling 500 MW at half a dozen locations in the State. While the state-owned utility is in advanced stages of finalising the Detailed Project Reports for the projects in Karnataka, it is also assessing the techno-commercial viability of the other identified projects. India’s total installed wind generation capacity was 9,645 MW at end-March 2009.

NTPC has already signed an MoU with the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) for setting up the 500-MW wind power capacity, under which KPCL will provide the land while NTPC will set up and operate the wind farms. The total investment in the Karnataka venture is estimated at around Rs 2,500 crore.

“The move to focus on green projects is a response to increasing environmental consciousness… We envisage increasing pressure on thermal utilities across the world to prove their commitment to the global climate change agenda,” an official said.

At present, around 78 per cent of NTPC’s installed capacity of 30,644 MW is coal-fired, while much of the remaining capacity is based on natural gas.

NTPC’s plan to enter the wind generation business comes at a time when India has been slipping on the wind-based capacity addition front. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, a global body for the wind energy sector, India added 1,800 MW during the last year, taking its total installed wind generation capacity to 9,645 MW.

China, in comparison, added a whopping 6,300 MW, second only to the US in terms of new additions, taking its capacity at the end of the year to 12,210 MW.

The US, with 8,358 MW added during the year, overtook Germany to take the lead in terms of total wind energy installed capacity.


Source: The Hindu Business Line (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/08/23/stories/2009082351230100.htm)

what is shivasamudram project?

HASSAN: Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda performed the ground breaking ceremony for four roads – totalling 30.43 km – being laid at a cost of Rs. 9.2 crore in Sompura village in Belur taluk on Monday.

Construction of these roads is being taken up under the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana. The proposed roadworks are: Sompura to Ibbeedu Colony (8.41 km) estimated to cost Rs. 221.74 lakh, Hullenahalli to Doddabyadagere (7.03 km) with an estimated cost of Rs. 214.33 lakh, Hirihasade to Kittave (6.66 km) costing approximately Rs. 231.22 lakh and Thirumanahalli to Soppinahalli (8.34 km) to cost an estimated Rs. 254.20 lakh.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/25/stories/2009082551980300.htm)

50 industrialists have evinced interest in it: Yeddyurappa

SHIMOGA: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said on Monday that a private sector textile park would be set up here, to which 50 industrialists had evinced interest. Addressing presspersons here, he said that a meeting of the officials concerned had been held in Bangalore to expedite the development of the proposed textile park. He said that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) had been entrusted with the task of identifying 500 acres of land for the proposed park which was expected to provide employment to 15,000 people, including 10,000 women. Shimoga MP B.Y. Raghavendra said that textile training programmes had begun in Shikaripur and Sorab taluks.

He said that the Government order for the development of the airport at Sogane had been issued and work on it would commence soon. The land under bagair hukum cultivation near Sogane would be acquired for building a four-lane road to the airport.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that work on the Shivappa Nayak Market Complex would begin soon. It would be constructed on the basis of public-private partnership.

He said action would be taken against the contractors if they did not complete work on the projects awarded to them within the specified time. He made it clear that there was no dearth of funds for development projects. He congratulated president of the Shimoga Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Ayanur Shivanandappa on his election as president of the Karnataka State Cooperative Marketing Federation.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/26/stories/2009082657350300.htm)

SHIMOGA: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa visited various places here on Monday evening where work on major development projects is on.

He inspected the deputy commissioner’s office, stadium, bus stand, Tunga bridge, and Suvarna Samskruti Bhavan. He told the authorities to ensure that work was completed on time. He made it clear that there should be no compromise on the quality of work. MP B.Y. Raghavendra, adviser to the Chief Minister K. Diwakar, district nodal officer M. Lakshmi Narayana and Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey were present. — Special Correspondent


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/26/stories/2009082657330300.htm)

Karwar: The movement against the thermal power plant at Hanakon near Karwar received a boost on Tuesday when the Appellate Tribunal of Forest and Environment Ministry, New Delhi, stayed the activities of Ind-Bharath thermal power company at Hanakon with immediate effect.

Order

The tribunal passed the order on an appeal filed by K.D. Naik, president of the Forum for Anti-thermal Power Plant at Hanakon. Anti-thermal power plant movement leaders Satish Sail, Kishor Desai, advocate, Shambhu Shetty and K.D. Naik said that it was a victory for the people who had launched an agitation against the project at Hanakon.

Mr. Shambhu Shetty said that while obtaining permission from the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment, the company showed the distance between Hanakon and Curtigoan as 25 km, whereas the aerial distance between these places was just 5 km. The company had suppressed the fact that Anashi and Dandeli reserve forests were in the vicinity of the project site. The tribunal took note of the fact that the power project was granted permission by the Ministry without considering that it violated the CRZ norms.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/26/stories/2009082657320300.htm)

Karnataka to hold annual Bangalore IT.biz from Nov 11

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BANGALORE August 26, 2009: The countrys IT capital - Bangalore - will host the 12th edition of annual IT event, named Bangalore IT.biz for three days from November 11 at the Palace Grounds in the City.

The event will act as a forerunner to the Global Investors meet to be held in the City in January 2010.

Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Excise Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu told reporters that said 800 software companies are expected to participate in the event. Since many software companies slowly come out of the recession caused by the global economic turmoil, the government would expect participation of most of the major companies this year, the Minister said.

He told reporters here on Tuesday that the government would bring out a new IT policy to give push to the growth of the software industry in the State. New semi-conductor and hardware policies would also been launched soon, he said.

Bangalore IT.biz 2009 would provide jobs to 1000 candidates during the event, he said adding that a quiz programme would held for school as well as graduate students of the State.

The event is being organised by the Department of IT, BT and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka; Software Technology Parks of India-Bangalore; in partnership of the Mexico Government.

The Minister said noted industrialists such as Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Infosys chief mentor N. R. Narayana Murthy, Wipro Technologies founder Azim Premji would be invited to the event to provide added colour to the event. The 2008 event was not ended on a dull note following the global recession.

Karnataka is Number one in IT industry in India. About 70,000 to 80,000 acres of land is available in and around Bangalore to set up software industries, Mr. Naidu said.

As many as 65 experts would participate and deliver speeches on IT industry and issues related to the domestic market.
Stating that Karnatakas exports stood at Rs. 71,000 crore in 2008-09, compared to Rs. 58,500 crore in 2007-08, registering a growth rate of 35 per cent.

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=142343

Ashok Kumar C Manoli, Principal Secretary, Department of IT, BT and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka talked to Akhtar Pasha about the need to put e-governance projects on the fast track

Karnataka was the first State in the country to take up an IT initiative. Our ‘Millennium IT Policy’ aims at utilizing the IT tools in the overall goal of the State Government in eradicating poverty, empowering women, reducing unemployment, using e-Governance for the delivery of Government services and, overall, to maintain the preeminent position of both Bangalore and Karnataka in the field of IT.

Important e-governance projects in 2008

We executed many e-governance projects in 2008 and some of the important ones were HRMS, SWAN, SDC, expansion of Bangalore One (integrated government services), e-Procurement and tendering, File and Letter Management System [Refer the details on page 8].

The Government of Karnataka’s (GoK) has partnered with Hewlett-Packard to adopt an e-Procurement solution across our 65 departments in a phased manner is a classic example of the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) business model. GoK expects the project to be complete within three years. The objective of this project is simple. GoK aimed to implement a single, end-to-end e-Procurement solution in the State that can vertically scale with increased adoption by the contractor community. The project started with five departments and in the next three years, it will be rolled out to all 65 departments in a phased manner. In the first phase, five departments of the GoK have adopted the e-Procurement platform successfully—Public Works, Ports and IWT Department (PWD), Sarvasiksha Abhigyan (SSA), Karnataka Drug Logistics Warehousing Society (KDLWS), Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigama Limited (KBJNL) and Center for e-Governance (CEG). The project was initiated in 2006 and at the time of going to the press, 15 departments have gone live. Another four departments will go-live by December 2008.

The initial results have been satisfactory and have already resulted in tangible benefits for the departments. Clear proof points include a dramatic reduction of the tender processing time from estimate preparation to tendering, for example in the case of the PWD a reduction of up to 40% on transaction time has been achieved.

The solution uses HP infrastructure, includes industry-standard HP Blade servers, HP SAN Storage and Enterprise Class Applications that runs on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0. HP BL20p is being used as a Web server in virtualized mode. For the e-Procurement application, BL460p is used with 16 virtual instances and BL460p is the database server.

However fiscal 2008-09 was not encouraging for the IT industry as we all have seen how the market went down drastically particularly towards June-July 2008. Our department therefore decided to focus on building IT infrastructure, capacity building and the construction of institutions for higher learning. Additionally we had initiated IT Parks in Mysore, Mangalore and Shimoga to provide built-up space for the IT Industry, especially for SMEs. The Department also initiated the setting up of BPO units in rural areas having a population of less than one lakh with the aim of providing employment to locals.

Focusing on SMEs

In 2009, we have proposed a revised IT Policy to meet the changing needs of the industry. The focus would be on boosting the growth of SMEs and taking the IT industry to small towns such as Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities.

We have also proposed a Semiconductor Policy for chip design companies. Bangalore is home to over 80% of the chip design companies operating in India and we would like to capitalize on this base. Similarly, an Electronic Hardware Technology Policy is also on the anvil. KEONICS, a Government of Karnataka undertaking, has been instructed to set-up an IT Park at Gulbarga. The animation, visual effects, gaming and comics sector, which is IT-based has tremendous potential and we would like to develop it. We intend to come out with a Policy to foster the growth and development of this sector in the State. With a view to popularizing Internet usage in the rural areas, the Department has plans to broad base Internet connectivity in all parts of the State. Additionally, the State would be hosting a National Conference on Cyber Security in 2009, inviting all the State IT Secretaries, Police Authorities and Judiciary to participate.

Focus on reducing carbon emission

The global ICT Industry accounts for approximately 2% of global carbon emissions. Energy costs which typically run at around 20% of IT budgets are estimated to account for 50% of the IT budget in a few years from now. The ICT sector has an environmental responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Development through Green IT initiatives is quite possible by adopting sustainable manufacturing, energy-efficient performance, recycling of e-waste etc. Green IT initiatives will not come in the way of the developmental goals of the Government. Green IT is linked to enterprise sustainability. Going green for economic reasons is quite sustainable.

Bringing transparency

Adopting e-governance and IT tools in Government has contributed to increased transparency in Government transactions and citizen delivery mechanisms. The adoption of IT in areas such as land records, registration of documents, tax collection and the like has not only improved transparency but also reduced red-tapism and corruption.

Advice to other State IT Secretaries

I am of the view that all States should put their e-Governance initiatives on the fast track. IT in Governance is helpful in many ways. Increasing transparency, reducing corruption, eliminating red-tapism, boosting revenue collection, improving the monitoring of expenditure and delivery of Government services to the citizens—these are some of the advantages that both the Government and citizens can derive from it. A determined and devoted mind set is required for implementing IT in Governance, along with a sufficient IT budget.


Source: EXPRESS Computer (http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20090831/itsecretaries01.shtml)

Akhtar Pasha spoke to Bhaskar Rao, Commissioner for Transport & Road Safety, Transport Department, Government of Karnataka about the computerization of his department and the smart card based DL and RC projects

We are in the process of implementing Computerized Service Delivery Systems at transport offices in Karnataka and the issue of Smart Card Driving License (DL) and Vehicle registration Certificate (RC).

The project would help the Transport Department render enhanced quality of service by offering quick, efficient and transparent services to citizens. Timely delivery of licenses and registration certificates would become possible. Computerization would enable the monitoring of revenue collections which account for over Rs 1,800 crores and plugging of revenue leakages. Databases of all vehicles and driving licenses in the State would be built up to help create and run a reliable Management Information Systems that would help share vehicle data with the Police Department in investigation of crimes and facilitate better traffic control.

It would also help curb the forgery of documents that are typically involved in the second sale of vehicles as anybody can print an RC book in the current format and transfer a vehicle.

The introduction of a computerized Learner’s license test at all of the RTOs and ARTOs Offices in the State is planned under the project so that the preliminary test for issuing a learner’s license for applicants would be conducted in a systematic and transparent manner. All of the RTO and ARTOs will be networked through the Karnataka SWAN helping citizens avail services irrespective of RTO jurisdiction and allowing the RTOs to access the records of other Offices across the State.

The introduction of a Smart Card for the Driving License (DL) and migrating from the manual registration certificate books or RC books to Smart Cards are an important aspect of the Department’s IT plans. The card in question sports a microprocessor with 16 KB of RAM. The advantages of this system are the digital storage of data, easy access to data, tamper-proof nature of the card and the enablement of the creation of a centralized State or national database of vehicles. The cost of the card is Rs. 200 and to encourage citizens to go for this smart card-based DL, it comes with an accident insurance cover of Rs. one lakh for death and Rs. 50,000 for permanent disability for a period of one year from the date of issue. This project covers all 55 Regional Transport Offices/Sub Regional Transport Offices and it mandates the total computerization of nine supervisory offices and 15 checks posts of the Transport Department in the State. Further, this project will cover 82 lakh vehicles and 75 lakh driving license holders in the State, which are ‘registered and kept in use’.

Our existing DL and RC books should be converted to smart cards within two years. This card can store traffic violations made by the DL holder. It can also record conviction particulars of road accidents. The details in the computerized chip on the smart card can be updated only by an authorized office with a security key number as prescribed by the NIC. Till July 2009, we have sold 7,000 smart cards of DL and RC in less than 60 days of its launch in June 2009. Our plan is to computerized 10 RTOs by July 2009 in Bangalore in Phase I as 47% of the Department’s revenues come from these RTOs. We intend to roll out the computerization to Mysore, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Davangere, Mangalore, Bellary, Hubli and Dharward covering another 55 RTOs by September 20th, 2009 in Phase II.

We have used 1,453 flat panel computers and 112 servers [mostly HP ProLiant ML 350 servers with RAID 5 capability] for the smart card project. Windows Vista is the client OS and all the client machines are from HP. We have planned to set-up two Data Centers—SDC and NIC.

Change management was a challenge

The lethargy of bureaucrats and support from the previous governments was so bad that the tendering for this project got changed four times in a row going back and forth. This was largely responsible for the delay in launching the smart card project. The computerization of the Transport Department was conceived in May 2005 and we first tried a BOOT model which proved unsuccessful. Thereupon, we opted for a PPP model for this project. The project went live on 25 June 2009.

Change management was the biggest hurdle in executing the project as a good number of the staff is hitting the retirement age. However, once we made them understand the benefits of computerization and taught them how to work on the computer, resistance came down. During evenings, we are giving hands on training on using the software.


Source: EXPRESS Computer (http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20090831/egovernancechampions08.shtml)

GULBARGA: The Hyderabad Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HKCCI) on Friday urged Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to concede to the long-pending demand for the establishment of an Information Technology Park in Gulbarga city, which would open up new avenues of employment to the unemployed graduates in the region.

The president of the HKCCI, Umakant Nigudgi and Secretary Gopalkrishna V. Raghoji, who met the Chief Minister at a delegation, welcomed the initiative taken by the Chief Minister for holding the Cabinet meeting in Gulbarga once a year, and for expressing a commitment to develop the under-developed Hyderabad Karnataka region.

Growth

Mr. Nigudgi said that the HKCCI was quite satisfied with the State Government’s policy of extending facility for developing two-tier cities by initiating the measures for the establishment of Information Technology and Bio-Technology parks. An IT park in Gulbarga would stimulate the required all-round growth in the Hyderabad Karnataka region, he added.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, Mr. Nigudgi said that the Government should take measures to upgrade the State highways in Hyderabad Karnataka region into national highways and provide connectivity to metropolitan cities for the speedy development of the region. The memorandum demanded the connection of NH 9 and NH 7 by upgrading the existing Waghdar-Gulbarga-Sedam-Ribbanpalli State highway to an NH.

Complaint

Mr. Nigudgi urged the Chief Minister to look into the complaints of exorbitant land cost charged by the KIADB in the industrial areas. In order to give a boost to the industrial development in the region, the Government should provide land at cheaper rates in the industrial areas in the Hyderabad Karnataka region, he said.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/29/stories/2009082954850600.htm)

http://mangalorean.com/images/newstemp22/20090828kar2.jpg

Gulbarga/Bangalore Aug 29: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today inaugurated a swimming pool constructed at a cost of Rs 3.25 crore.

Speaking on the occasion, he said this was the first swimming pool with international standards in the Hyderbad-Karanataka region.

Exhorting sportspersons to achieve international standards, he asked the department officials to appoint coaches. Mr Yeddyurappa said the swimming pool was christened as A B Vajpayee swimming pool.


Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=142917)

GULBARGA: The 17th Cabinet meeting held in Gulbarga on Thursday has given administrative approval to develop world heritage Hampi as a tourist spot at an estimated cost of Rs 81.91 crore, said Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.


After the Cabinet meeting, the CM told reporters that of Rs 81.91 crore, the Union Government will provide Rs 32.83 crore and the remaining Rs 49.08 crore would be released by the state government.

The Cabinet also decided to encourage one lakh backward class families including potter (Kumbar), black smith (Kammara), washermen (Madiwala) of the state, who depend on their traditional professions by providing a loan of Rs 5,000 and subsidy of Rs 5,000. As much as Rs 3 crore will be provided to open science sections in government colleges of 39 backward taluks of the state. It has also been decided to release Rs 5 lakh each to 60 colleges (total Rs 3 crore) for infrastructure development.

Under Watershed Development Scheme, the Cabinet has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for desilting of 114 dried wells. All the backward taluks of Gulbarga division will get benefit under this, said the CM.

It was also decided to sanction Rs 3 to 5 crore as grant on an average to all the 20 drought-hit districts in the state. Under this, the drought affected villages of Gulbarga division would get an additional grant of Rs 30 crore. The government would also see that there is no dearth of funds for relief works, Yeddyurappa said.


Source: express buzz (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Rs+81.91+cr+to+develop+Hampi+as+tourist+spot&artid=WNmsz9te0jk=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

GULBARGA: Considering the backwardness of Gulbarga division comprising Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal and Bellary districts in health sector, Karnataka cabinet which met here on Thursday directed all the 343 Primary Health Centres of the division to work round-the-clock throughout the week, said Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.


Addressing the press after the cabinet meeting, he said that the cabinet also decided to select additional 200 villages of Gulbarga division for the implementation of Suvarna Gramodaya Scheme under the 4th phase. In the third phase, 1,491 villages were selected in the state for the implementation of Suvarna Gramodaya of which 277 villages belonged to Gulbarga division.

The cabinet gave sanction for the commencement of 28 Kittur Rani Chennamma Residential schools in the division this year and 14 Morarji Desai Residential Schools next year. It has been decided in the cabinet to give sanction for special drinking water scheme in 242 villages of the division. Rs 166 crore would be provided for the implementation of 33 Bahugrama Scheme, he said and added that the tender process would start shortly.

The cabinet also decided to open additional 44 SC/ST hostels in Gulbarga division. Bangalore- One model scheme will be extended to Bidar, Raichur, Koppal and Hospet towns of Gulbarga division phase-wise for getting various facilities under a single roof.

Already the government had taken the decision of starting it in Gulbarga and Bellary cities, which was approved in the today's meeting, CM said.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98200+villages+to+see+Suvarna+Gramodaya%E2%80%99&artid=0aNQZrggJI0=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

GULBARGAL: The Karnataka Cabinet which met at Gulbarga on Thursday has given permission to the Gulbarga University to hand over 30 acres of its land to Employees State Insurance [ESI] on contract, for the construction of a super specialty ESI Hospital and Medical College.

Disclosing the decision of the Cabinet in a press conference, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa said that the Cabinet has given approval for the revised estimate of Rs 47.64 crore for the construction of the Gulbarga District Hospital.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Cabinets+go-ahead+to+hospital+projects&artid=ZbxuA7W/0Jw=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

BANGALORE: Karnataka has always boasted of a good rail network. But a recent analysis of infrastructure indices disagrees. The state is way behind neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and the railway sector needs to pump in not less than Rs 18,000 crore to hit the standard targets!

Among other sectors such as road, energy and transport, which are lagging, only airports have fared well. Of the 28 districts, four already have airports and seven are constructing them, apart from 11 airstrips being built.

The analysis was done by the infrastructure development department (IDD) to know the position of the state's growth drivers and draw up projects. The exercise is a prelude to the Global Investors Meet (GIM) scheduled for January 2010, through which the government plans to sell projects to international firms for public-private partnership (PPP) ventures.

According to IDD principal secretary V Madhu, a masterplan is being prepared for all potential sectors that can attract private investments. "Nearly 150 detailed project reports are readied for the GIM."

Spread over 1.92 lakh sqkm with a population of 52.85 million, Karnataka stands among the top five industrial states. The state has 2,033 IT firms, 688 multinationals, 87 global Fortune 500 companies, four functional airports, 3,500 km of railway line, two ports and a steady GDP growth rate.

In the railway sector, Karnataka's index is 16, which means the state has 16 km of railway line for every 1,000 sqkm as against the target index of 32. Tamil Nadu's railway index is 32, Gujarat 38 and Maharastra 34. To upgrade railway infrastructure to the target index or reach Tamil Nadu's standards, Karnataka needs to plough in Rs 18,000 crore immediately.

In road infrastructure, the current state road index is 107 km per sqkm and the target index is 150 km, while Rs 1,25,000 crore is the required investment to reach the target level.

Karnataka's annual per capita energy consumption is 700 units while the target is 1,400 units. Funds required to close the gap is Rs 80,000 crore.

The analysis also looked into the investment required to upgrade the overall economy. Calculated at 2006 prices, Rs 92,462 crore is needed in the 11th Five Year Plan (FYP), which is currently in action; Rs 1,86,275 crore in 12th FYP and Rs 3,15,657 crore in the 13th FYP. Every year, the required investment runs up to Rs 3,30,000 crore.

According to officials involved in investment matters, no state can fund itself with such a huge requirement, for instance, as Karnataka's needs. Therefore, PPP is the preferred option in most developing countries. The officials revealed that embarking on a PPP venture needs discipline and a non-interfering administration. The government's part involves land acquisition, compensation, fixing land value, replacement value of building, resettlement and rehabilitation, clearances, dislocation allowance, allocation of proportional assets and financial share in the project.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/City/Bangalore/Only-airports-fly-high/articleshow/4946836.cms)

Karwar: The Rabindranath Tagore Beach of the city will soon develop into a tourist spot. The State Government has sanctioned Rs. 5 crores for the work.

Source: Sahilonline (http://www.sahilonline.org/english/news.php?catID=coastalnews&nid=6233&viewed=0)

Pilot project for UID in state
TNN 30 August 2009, 12:56am IST
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BANGALORE: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIAI) has chosen Karnataka for pilot implementation of its Unique Identity Number
project.

On Saturday, UIAI chief Nandan Nilekani met chief secretary Sudhakar Rao and other officers. “He (Nilekani) discussed the project with different departments and is now interacting with state-level officials. He expressed his desire to start a pilot project in Karnataka,” Rao said after the meeting.

“E-governance principal secretary M N Vidyashankar will be the state’s nodal officer for the pilot project,” Rao said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/City/Bangalore/Pilot-project-for-UID-in-state/articleshow/4949751.cms

Three stations in Karnataka to be upgraded

Mangalore, Aug. 30 The development of world-class railway stations in the country will depend on traffic density and availability of land, said Mr K.H. Muniyappa, Union Minister of State for Railways.

The Minister was in Mangalore on Saturday to flag off a tri-weekly day train between Mangalore and Yesvanthpur in Bangalore.

Speaking on the sidelines of the function, Mr Muniyappa said Indian Railways is planning to upgrade 50 railway stations as world-class stations. The planning for each world-class railway station would depend on the traffic density and the land available at the respective station.

The plan may differ with each station as some places would have more traffic density and less land.

The world-class stations would have all modern facilities. There would also be shopping complexes and hotels in these stations, Mr Muniyappa said.

Based on the report of an expert committee, the stations would be developed under public-private partnership. Three stations in Karnataka – Mangalore Central, Bangalore City and Baiyapanahalli junction in Bangalore – will be upgraded, the Minister said.

Karnataka

He said the Railway Budget for 2009-10 has allocated Rs 543.36 crore for various works in Karnataka. Of this, Rs 202.58 crore has been earmarked for new lines, Rs 98.06 crore for gauge conversion, Rs 231.24 crore for doubling of tracks, and Rs 11.48 crore has been planned for electrification works.

The State Government has come forward for the completion of various railway projects on a cost-sharing basis. The State Government has agreed to contribute Rs 1,741 crore for this purpose, he said.

The Rail Wheel Factory in Bangalore would produce two lakh wheels during 2009-10 as against 1.96 lakh in the previous fiscal.

Mr Muniyappa said the Indian Railways has embarked on the dedicated freight corridor project that aims at creation of rail infrastructure to carry high levels of freight with reduced unit cost of transportation.

Premium services will be introduced for container movement and parcel services with guaranteed transit time. As part of the Kisan Vision project, special trains are planned from production clusters to consumer centres for perishable products, he said.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/08/31/stories/2009083150431300.htm

Shimoga, August 31: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is all set to declare the creation of one more new district. This is none other than Shikaripur in Shimoga district – his home constituency. It is said that it is almost certain that this taluk will be carved out as a new district.

Yeddyurappa who has been representing the Shikaripur Assembly Constituency for the last 25 years is said to be planning to make it as a district headquarter.

As a precursor to this fact, several development works have been taken up on a war-footing in Shikaripur town, with funds flowing smoothly from the State Government.

The norms followed in making a city corporation like population, area and income are not applicable in developing any place as a district headquarter.

But what is required for the execution of such a mega plan is the strong political will of the powers that be and a convenient administrative system.“There should not be any difficulty in making the dream of a forming a new district a reality as it is endowed with both of them,” said a BJP leader of Shikaripur who did not want to be identified.

To a question on the reported move to upgrade Shikaripur into a new district, B.Y.Raghavendra, MP, who is Yeddyurappa’s son, said that there was no such a proposal as of now. “Who knows it may materialise also if there is a popular demand for it,” he told here on Saturday.

Meanwhile crores of rupees worth of projects are being implemented in Shikaripur town. They are development works that are considered prerequisite for the upgrade of a taluk headquarters into a district headquarters.

The projects include construction of an administrative complex at a cost of Rs. 4 crore behind the taluk office premises to house all departments under one roof, construction of a new building at a cost of Rs. 3 crore to house the new zilla panchayat, increasing the number of beds in the taluk government hospital from the present 150 to 250 beds, and a Rs. 4 crore-worth circuit house.
A sum of Rs. 400 crore is likely to be spent towards improving roads in and around Shikaripur taluk.

Besides, an ultra modern auditorium (Rang Mandir) is coming up at a cost of Rs. 10 crore for the promotion of the literary, cultural and other public programmes.

In addition to all the development works taken up, Shikaripur town has emerged as an educational centre with several degree and ITI colleges, B.Ed, D.Ed., and TCH institutes and a school with the CBSE syllabus.

Adjacent taluks such as Honnali in Davangere district, Sorab from Shimoga district and Hirekerur from Haveri district are proposed to be tagged on to the new Shikaripur district.

Apart from it, if the hoblis such as Nyamati, Anavatti and Shiralkoppa get the taluk status, then they may also be included in this new district.

The way development works are being taken up it appears that it is just short of a formal announcement for the birth of the new Shikaripur district.

Source: Udayavani (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=689772&lang=1)

Bangalore , Aug 31 The Karnataka government today approved 11 proposed projects valued at Rs 40,336.43 crore, including a Rs 15,131.70 crore investment by JSW Steel and Rs 9,280 crore by NMDC.

The projects, cleared by the state&aposs high-level clearance committee headed by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, have the potential to generate 30,352 jobs, large and medium industries Minister Murugesh R Nirani told reporters after the meeting.

According to a note circulated to the media, JSW Steel proposed to expand capacity from 10 Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 16 MTPA at its integrated steel plant in Bellary district, besides setting up a 600 MW captive power plant.

State-run NMDC ( National Mineral Development Corporation) plans to set up an integrated steel plant with five MTPA, also in Bellary district, on 5,000 acres of land to be acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board.

The panel also gave its nod to the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd to set up a 2,100 MW gas-based power station at Tadadi in Uttara Kannada district at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

Mumbai-based Ravindra Trading and Agencies Ltd would set up two MTPA iron ore pelletisation and six MTPA integrated steel plants, also in Bellary, at an investment of Rs 3,292.8 crore PTI RS BH


Source: Indopia (http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/662719/National/1/20/1)


Chennai based ETL Infrastructure Services Limited would set up a Rs 993 crore IT park with disaster recovery facility in the rural districts of Bangalore.

Other projects which received green signal included ICI India Limited's Rs 253 crore paints and varnishes facility and JK Tyre and Industries Limited Rs 130 crore tyre plant, both in Mysore district.


Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=143366)

Software exports from Karnataka amounted to Rs. 74,929 cr. in 2008-09, an increase of 23 per cent over the previous year.

Announcing the results, based on a compilation of data submitted by companies to the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), State Information Technology Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu said Karnataka maintained its share in overall software exports from India at 35 per cent despite the “recessionary pressures.”

He said the growth demonstrated that the knowledge sector had “remained unaffected by the recession.”

“Karnataka has retained the top position despite the pressures,” he added.

Bangalore accounted for over 97 per cent of the State’s software exports. However, Mr. Naidu said the State had made “serious efforts” to enable development of the industry in Tier II and Tier III cities such as Mangalore, Mysore, Shimoga, Belgaum and Hubli. While exports from Mysore amounted to Rs. 1,374 cr., an increase of 36 per cent, exports from Mangalore grew at 59 per cent, amounting to Rs. 644 cr.

He said the State had set a target of $20 billion (Rs. one lakh cr.) in 2009-10.

R. Rajalakshmi, Director, STPI-Bangalore, said the software export revenues were from the 1,200 firms registered with the STPI and software-related special economic zones. During the current year, 84 software units are likely to be established. This includes 35 ventures involving foreign equity, two Indian majors and 47 small and medium enterprises. The new ventures are expected to generate fresh investments amounting to Rs. 465 cr.

Mr. Naidu said that despite the recession overall employment in the industry had increased by 34,000 to 554,000 in 2008-09. He said Infosys’ application seeking permission for the conversion of agricultural land for its project at Sarjapur had been cleared by the government.

Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Ashok Kumar Manoli, said the government was taking steps to draw foreign investment in the electronic hardware sector. He said the State was wooing investment in manufacturing wafers and for photovoltaic cells.


Source: The Hindu (http://beta.thehindu.com/incoming/article13231.ece)

Raichur: The district administration here has submitted two proposals to the Government on Monday seeking its approval for construction of mini Vidhana Soudha and a college building for the Government Engineer College.

Deputy Commissioner Adoni Syed Saleem has identified about 50 acres of land located on the Raichur-Hyderabad State Highway for the construction of mini Vidhana Soudha. The identified land is owned by the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC).

In his proposal submitted to the Regional Commissioner Rajaneesh Goel recently, the Deputy Commissioner urged the Government to take steps for transfer of land to the Revenue Department and sought the release a grant of Rs. 25 crore for the purpose.

In another proposal, the district administration has a proposed to take up the construction of a building for the Government Engineering College here. In this regard, the Deputy Commissioner has identified about 30 acres of land located at the Yermarus Camp near the city.

The land is owned by the Water Resources Department. The Deputy Commissioner has urged the Government to take steps for transfer of land to Revenue Departm,ent and release Rs. 18 crore for the purpose.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.thehindu.com/2009/08/25/stories/2009082552060300.htm)

Any news on status of other mini Vidhana Soudhas proposed in other District & Taluk centers?

State to seek Rs. 902-crore World Bank loan for project implementation

http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/04/images/2009090454360401.jpg

Bangalore: The State Government plans to seek a loan from the World Bank for implementing a Rs. 902.20-crore “Kannada Ganga” drinking water project in 15 towns in four divisions of the State. The major objective of the project is to ensure 24x7 drinking water supply.

Talks held

Minister for Urban Development S. Suresh Kumar and officials of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) have already held the first round of talks with World Bank experts Ramesh Mukulla, M. Kullappa, Nicholas Bilgrim and Ravi Joseph. The meeting with the World Bank officials was a fruitful one, Mr. Suresh Kumar told The Hindu. The 15 towns shortlisted for implementation of the project in the first phase are Sedam, Humnabad and Chitaguppa (Gulbarga division); Hukkeri, Sankeshwar and Bijapur (Belgaum division); Mandya, Srirangapatna, Kadur, Birur and Kushalnagar (Mysore division); and Shimoga, Tirthahalli, Tumkur and Tiptur (Bangalore division).

The estimated cost is: Sedam – Rs. 16.67 crore, Humnabad – Rs. 24.60 crore, Chitaguppa – Rs. 15.70 crore, Hukkeri – Rs. 22.45 crore, Sankeshwar – Rs. 38.21 crore, Bijapur – Rs. 106.75 crore, Mandya – Rs. 114 crore, Srirangapatna – Rs. 23.18 crore, Kadur – Rs. 21.99 crore, Birur – Rs. 13.38 crore, Kushalnagar – Rs. 15 crore, Shimoga – Rs. 231 crore, Tirthahalli – Rs. 16.50 crore, Tumkur – Rs. 182.75 crore, Tiptur – Rs. 60 crore.

Mr. Suresh Kumar said funds available under the North Karnataka Urban Sector Investment Programme (Rs. 10.30 crore) would be utilised for implementing the project.

The KUWSDB would appoint technical consultants to carry out technical studies and be a part of the project in the implementation phase.

Several problems

The existing water supply system is plagued with several problems such as low supply rate with uneven schedules, disparities in area coverage, leakages, poor maintenance, low-cost recovery on account of unauthorised connections and unwillingness to pay for services, and lack of financial resources with urban local bodies to ensure regular water supply.

The project envisages provision of continuous, round-the-clock supply of potable water at a given pressure at every point in the distribution network.

The KUWSDB will set up a cell to implement the project, which will have technical, commercial, legal and financial experts.

Officials said the Department of Urban Development would soon seek approval from the State Cabinet for the loan from the World Bank as well as for implementing the project.

Each of the 15 urban local bodies concerned would have to pass a resolution for participation in the project and each would also have to sign an agreement with the KUWSDB for executing the project. Besides, they have to make an upfront contribution to meet the cost of the project. It is proposed that the organisation and management costs be met from water charges/connection charges collected from consumers.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/04/stories/2009090454360400.htm)

SHIMOGA: Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board D.H. Shankarmurthy said here on Thursday that the Government would extend all help for the completion of the Ayurvedic Hospital coming up in front of the Circuit House on the Sagar Road.

Mr. Shankarmurthy was speaking after visiting the spot to see the progress of the construction of the building. He said the hospital was built at an estimated cost of Rs. 6 crore and added that there was a request for the release of additional amount of Rs. 50 lakh. He said he would try to meet the financial requirement of the hospital building after putting its proposal before the Government.

Mr. Shankarmurthy expressed his satisfaction over the rapid progress in the construction of the building. He asked the engineering staff and the contractors not to compromise on the quality of the construction work.

He asked them to keep the hospital building ready for inauguration in January.

Shimoga City Municipal Council president N.J. Rajasekhar and Shimoga Rural MLA K.G.Kumaraswamy accompanied Mr. Shankarmurthy.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/04/stories/2009090451970300.htm)

Tata Metaliks Ltd, a manufacturer and supplier of pig iron, has received the Karnataka government’s approval for its revised proposal to set up a 3 million tonne per annum (MTPA) iron and steel plant in two phases in Haveri district of North Karnataka.

The investment is estimated at Rs 6,101 crore, of which Rs 2,033 crore will be put in by the promoters and Rs 4,067.6 crore will be arranged through term loans. Currently, the company has a debt of Rs 300 crore. It operates five furnaces with an annual capacity of 650,000 tonnes.


Read more on BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=368968)

BEIJING: Karnataka is set to offer hard cash to foreign investors prepared to put in substantial sums of money in areas outside Bangalore. It is
trying to battle stiff competition from foreign moolah from other states like Gujarat and Maharashtra by helping reduce the cost on new projects.

"We will do all that is necessary to attract foreign investment. I have decided to visit foreign countries once every three months to bring in funds," the state’s chief minister B S Yeddyurappa told TNN in an interview.

Murugesh R. Nirani, Karnataka’s minister for large and medium scale industries, talked about the various incentive programs being offered by his government to attract at least $42 billion (Rs 2 lakh crores) in investments in the coming months.

"We will pay the cost of hiring unskilled workers for the first three years of operation of any new company," Nirani told TNN. The decision has been taken in principal by Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and will soon be announced formally. The move comes soon after Gujarat held its global investors’ meet and launched a massive drive to lure foreign investments.

Another cash offer from the state government will go to any company that invests Rs 50 crores or more. It will give Rs 2 crore to the first two companies investing in a taluka. The idea is to spread investments across all the 170 talukas of the state, Nirani said.

Yeddyurappa and his team are visiting Beijing and Shanghai to attract Chinese investors to put up plants in exclusive industrial zones for sectors like steel, cement, automobile, power and information technology. He is also inviting them to attend a global investors’ meet in Bangalore in January.

Karnataka has apparently learnt a lesson from Gujarat’s success in grabbing the Nano project of the Tatas.

"Gujarat could offer a large amount of land to the Tatas as it was readily available. We missed this and many such opportunities as we did not have a land bank at that time. Now, we have set up a land bank and we can even offer 2,000 acres if a company wants it," Nirani said.

The industry minister said his government has already acquired 21,000 acres of land and in the process of acquiring another 29,000 acres.

"I have made sure that only dry land is acquired. We are offering developed land to farmers, whose lands are acquired for industrial purposes," Yeddyurappa. This is why there have been no disputes during the acquisition of land, he said.

Karnataka is also alluring investors with its innovative program on Industrial Adalats. Created on the lines of Lok Adalat, an industrial adalat makes it possible to quickly settle a range of industrial disputes on issues like power, water supply, draining and harassment of officers without the need for lengthy court proceedings.

"I preside over these adalat sessions. We handled some 800 cases in the three sessions held so far. More than 600 cases were solved and ordered issued on the spot," Nirani said.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/business/india-business/Karnataka-offers-hard-cash-to-investors/articleshow/4972846.cms)

Will luck smile on the state of Karnataka? Tata Motors is completely tight-lipped like always about the whole issue. Karnataka state government had initially offered 1000 acres of land to Tata Motors when it was planning to shift from Singur amidst rising controversies from the Bengal farmers. Initially the state government was ready to allocate 600 acres of land immediately and rest 400 acres over a period of three months. The negotiations were not fruitful then but now Tata Motors seems to be seriously contemplating its options to set a firm foot in the State with a second Nano plant in Dharwad.

The Principal Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Mr V. Umesh, said Tata Motors’ officials had visited two sites near Dharwad which could be offered for the project. Murgesh Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Industries met Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Motors, “to take forward the negotiations on relocating the Nano project to Dharwad,” he said.


Source: cartradeindia

As the rain god smiles, a sudden monsoon burst is filling up the state’s reservoirs, and the drop in demand for power has added to the rosy picture. The state owned Power Corporation feels that the power situation during the coming summer will be much better if the rains continue for another week.

“The hydel stations, especially Sharavati, have started producing more power and up to one fourth of the state’s demand can be met through them now,’’ said the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) technical director D Muralidhar Rao. With rains lashing western Karnataka, the Sharavati River is filling up the Linganmakki reservoir, which has already released 10,000 cusecs to prevent overflow.

The state’s other two large power reservoirs- Supa and Mani are also filling up fast.

Water levels at Supa and Mani are just 6 m and 19 m away from their maximum heights of 564 m and 594 m respectively.

The drop in demand is also encouraging the KPCL to cut down production at its thermal power plant in Raichur. The average consumption in the state which went up to 139 MU in April, has now come down to about 100-105 MU as agricultural demand dropped sharply.

The KPCL has also increased power production by adding 745 MW of power to the state grid during 2008-09. It has plans to add another 250 MW from the eighth unit of Raichur Thermal Power Station in the current financial year. The Udupi Power Corporation’s imported coal based power plant is also expected to add another 500 MW to the state’s kitty this year. In 2010-11, the KPCL is planning an addition of 500 MW from another unit in the Bellary Thermal Power Station.

Overall the chances of a power crisis like last year’s are remote. “Good rains and capacity addition by KPCL and private players, will ensure that people do not face too many difficulties,” said Rao.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Brighter+summer+in+offing+as+dams+score+off+rain&artid=mIK29JGMcEw=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=Bellary%20Thermal%20Power%20Station.)

The Karnataka government is contemplating bringing the Upper Tunga Project (UTP) under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) launched by the Union government. Karnataka water resources minister Basavaraj Bommai told Business Standard on Monday that the inclusion of UTP under AIBP will facilitate early implementation of the scheme.


Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/upper-tunga-project-set-to-be-speeded-up/369394/)

MYSORE: The state will soon have five ayurveda research institutes, said Director of AYUSH GN Srikantaiah, on Sunday.

He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony organised jointly by the Karantaka Rajya Ayurveda Padhavidharara Parishat, Ayurveda Prachara Parishat Trust and Vaidyavartha Prakashana.

The department had sanctioned Rs 25 lakh each to establish research institutes at Shimoga, Mysore, Udupi and other districts, he said.

"The department is awaiting approval from the state government. It will prepare a 20-year vision document. The college authorities have identified six acres land in Mysore for setting up a Ayurveda post graduate hostel, Panchakarma hospital and a hostel for girls," Srikantaiah said. The Department has also plans to establish super speciality hospitals for neurology and cardiology in the coming days, he added.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=5+ayurveda+research+centres+in+state&artid=biR4WRGIZDE=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

The ATM service will be available in seven post offices in six cities in Karnataka in the first phase of implementation, including two in Bangalore.

The ATM service will be available at the General Post Office and the RT Nagar Post Office in Bangalore, and the main post offices in Gulbarga, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli and Bijapur. This facility is likely to be available by January next year.

Railway booking facility will also be provided in 5,000 post offices.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/08/stories/2009090853470400.htm)

MYSORE: Indian Railways is contemplating setting up a bio-diesel plant in Karnataka. To lessen pollution and improve engine efficiency, Indian Railways — the biggest consumer of diesel in the world — has, of late, been experimenting by blending diesel with bio-diesel.

Indian Railways needs about 60,000 litres of biodiesel every day. It is keen to provide land and financial assistance to entrepreneurs.

Emami, a cosmetic giant, plans to invest Rs 300 crore in the production of edible oil; with bio-diesel units in coastal Karnataka.

Karnataka Biofuel Task Force Chairman Y B Ramakrishna on Tuesday said that the Emami group is keen to invest in Karnataka.

He said that a meeting in this regard would be held in the end of September.

“Karnataka will clinch the deal as the state produces about 4.75 lakh tonnes of feeds like jatropha, neem and castor,” he said.

He clarified that the government would not encourage farmers to grow jatropha, in place of food and commercial crops.

“However, the farmers will be encouraged to grow jatropha on marginal lands and rain fed areas, waste lands in possession of agriculture, veterinary, forest and institutional lands,” he said.

Ramakrishna said farmers wanted an assurance that the railways would buy 60,000 litres of bio-diesel produced from all the three units, proposed to be set up near Yalahanka, in Mysore.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Rlys+mulling+over+bio-diesel+plant&artid=4rJynp4Hmqo=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Read also Railways bio-fuel plant likely in Yelahanka (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/railways-bio-fuel-plant-likely-in-yelahanka/369473/).

MNCs keen to invest in K'taka: Minister
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By Team Mangalorean Bangalore

BANGALORE/TOKYO, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009: A seminar on investment climate and infrastructure developments in Karnataka was held at Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday. The event was jointly organized by Government of Karnataka, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

Minister for Large & Medium Industries Mr.Murugesh R Nirani, Mr.Y.Sekine, Director for Southwest Asia and Oceania, International Trade Policy Bureau, METI, Dr.Rajkumar Khatri, Commissioner for Industrial Development, Government of Karnataka were present in the event.

Minister for Large & Medium Industries, Mr. Murugesh R Nirani briefed the gathering about initiatives taken by Government of Karnataka in development of infrastructure. He also invited all the companies present to attend the Global Investors Meet scheduled in Bangalore. He informed the gathering about the Industrial policy, Mining policy, Textile Policy and SEZ Policies of the State. He said several industries of China and other parts of the country have shown interest to invest in Bangalore and other parts of the Karnataka. The Global Investors meet to be held in Bangalore would help the investors to prepare the plans for their investment, he said.

There was a very good response from the investors for the event. More than 68 companies both service and manufacturing industries attended the seminar. Some of the major companies that attended the Seminar are Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, IHI Corporation, NDR Co. Ltd., Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan International Co-operation Agency, Komatsu Ltd., System Consultants Co. Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation Ltd., Citizen Watch Co. Ltd., Seiko Epson Corporation, Toshiba Corporation etc.

A film on Industrial Potential of Karnataka was screened and also a multi media presentation on investment opportunities was made.

Financial institutions like of Bank of Tokyo also attended the event. They highly appreciated the efforts of Government of Karnataka and congratulated the Honble Minister for the steps taken. This has led to a very positive build up for Global Investors Meet.

The speakers from Japanese firms operating in Bangalore like M/s Toyota Motor Corporation Ltd. and M/s System Consultants Company Ltd. also participated in the event and shared their experiences of starting a business in Karnataka.

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=144909

Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/City/Bangalore/Only-airports-fly-high/articleshow/4946836.cms)

Karnataka has a pathetic Rail network. It is no way comparable to TN or even AP. Bangalore has only recently been connected to Mangalore by passnger trains.

The western ghats which cut through a large swathe of the state is possibly the reason behind this, as it is a major technological hurdle, not mentioning the costs involved, that might be hindering the growth of railways here.
Mysore, the second most important city does not even have a double track to Bangalore. The fastest train, Mysore - Chennai Shatabdi takes more than two hours to cover the distance of about 120 kms. Doubling of this track has been hanging for some decades now, despite the well known fact that a fast connectivity will be a major spur to development. Indian railways is slower than a tortoise, not only in the speed of their trains, but also in their decision making. Pathetic goons. They have no clue about international standards and are still living in the colonial times.

Tourist resorts like Coorg have no rail connection, unlike the ones in Ooty. The IR has always given a step-motherly treatment to KA, despite having had Jaffer Shareif as a Rly Minister if I am not mistaken.

A lot can be done to improve the rail network in KA.

The country's largest steel maker Steel Authority of India (SAIL) today said it is open to partnering NMDC in setting up a steel plant in Karnataka, primarily catering to sectors like the automobile and consumer durables.

"Well, if they (NMDC) are looking for partners particularly among PSUs, we will definitely look to engage ourselves with them," SAIL Chairman S K Roongta told reporters here.


Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sail-open-to-partnering-nmdc-for-proposed-k%5Ctaka-plant/73143/on)

Karnataka has a pathetic Rail network. It is no way comparable to TN or even AP. Bangalore has only recently been connected to Mangalore by passnger trains.

The western ghats which cut through a large swathe of the state is possibly the reason behind this, as it is a major technological hurdle, not mentioning the costs involved, that might be hindering the growth of railways here.
Mysore, the second most important city does not even have a double track to Bangalore. The fastest train, Mysore - Chennai Shatabdi takes more than two hours to cover the distance of about 120 kms. Doubling of this track has been hanging for some decades now, despite the well known fact that a fast connectivity will be a major spur to development. Indian railways is slower than a tortoise, not only in the speed of their trains, but also in their decision making. Pathetic goons. They have no clue about international standards and are still living in the colonial times.

Tourist resorts like Coorg have no rail connection, unlike the ones in Ooty. The IR has always given a step-motherly treatment to KA, despite having had Jaffer Shareif as a Rly Minister if I am not mistaken.

A lot can be done to improve the rail network in KA.

I agree. I don't know what moron thinks Karnataka 'always had a good rail network'. It's probably the worst or close to being the worst in India, when you look at double and electrified tracks. This is what bothers me - no-one raises a voice about this, but there are many in Karnataka who want a BG railway line (single, mind you) laid to their village/mofussil town!
Pathetic.

Karnataka government today pushed for early clearance of loans to the tune of $1.175 billion that it has sought from the World Bank to take up various projects in the state.

In a meeting with WB Country Director Roberto Zagha here, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa noted that the WB had sanctioned a loan of $857 million for six state projects.

"Out of this amount, $475 million is yet to be released," he said.

"Besides government of Karnataka has submitted three more projects (relating to water supply and sanitation) worth $700 million", Yeddyurappa said and sought release of the loan at the earliest.

On the nature of discussions, Zagha told reporters: "We are trying to understand Karnataka's development priorities and see how best we can partner."

He said WB would hold discussions with the state government on loan requirements pertaining to water, highways and rurual development projects.

Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao and senior officials of the Finance Department were present at the meeting.


Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/karnataka-presses-for-early-release1175-bn-wb-loan/73200/on)

Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (Kassia), an apex trade cha-mber for small industries in the state has signed a memorandum of understanding with the India-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry today to facilitate trade ties between the two countries.

The MoU provides for joint ventures in both the countries, consultancy services, exchange visits between the two countries, information exchange on international fairs, exhibitions, and exchange of publications by both the organisations.

The MoU is valid for three years with option for renewal thereafter, a Kassia press release said.

Kassia President M C Dinesh and Jenny Zeliang, additional director, ICCCI and P N Ramachandran, ED, ICCCI signed the MoU.

ICCCI is linked to the China Council for promotion of international trade through its network and services. It has entered into agreement of cooperation with a number of such bodies and with reciprocal response in all the cases.

Kassia and ICCCI have been having contact for the last few years which has got intensified recently, thanks to the increased flow of trade between the two countries.

The MoU contains 10 clauses providing for exchange of publications by both the institutions, joint ventures, information building on international fairs, exhibitions and other economic activities to be held in China and India and close rapport in the growth and spread of the SME sector for mutual improvement on trade promotion, the release added.


Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kassia-builds-bridgeschina-totrade-ties/369697/)

Cheeni Kannadiga Anna Thamma!

BANGALORE: A day after he batted for a “two-child policy”, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, on Thursday, went a step ahead and stated that the government would pass a resolution in the current session to exert pressure on the Centre to bring in a policy for population control.

Making a statement in the Legislative Council, the CM said the time had come for a law to control population. “Before it slips out of control, we need to pass a resolution and bring pressure on the Central government to enact a law in this regard,” he said.

The issue cropped up when BJP member Tontadarya was praising China vis-à-vis India. Taking objection to Tontadarya’s comparison, JD(S) floor leader M C Nanaiah said that it was not fair to compare India with other countries.

At this juncture, the CM intervened and said that there was a need for a law to control population like the one in China. “Let us pass a resolution which would deny government benefits to those who decide to have a third child,” he said and asked for the co-operation of Opposition parties in this regard.

He, however, said that the new law would applicable to those who will have more than two children in the future and not to those who already have.

Opposition leader V S Ugrappa asked the CM to first bring such a law instead of making mere statements.

Yeddyurappa, in return, said that the state had no powers to enact such a law. “Only the Centre can enact such laws. So let us pass a resolution and send it to the Centre,” he said.

CRIMINAL CASE: Meanwhile, the CM said that the government was considering filing a criminal case against those possessing more than one BPL cards. The government has already started cracking the whip on duplicate BPL cards across the state. The process is expected to be completed in about a month’s time.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=State+to+pass+resolution+on+population+control,&artid=kpOvvM2Wplk=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Congress okay with 2-child norm (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/24524/cong-okay-2-child-norm.html)

This is what our parties have learnt now from new Anna China!

Spearheading Karnataka’s mission to take IT to Tier-II cities jointly is the Software Technology Parks of India-Bangalore (STPI-Bangalore).

The STPI-Bangalore, as part of its new initiatives, is planning incubation centres at Mysore, Shimoga and Belgaum besides enhancing its Hubli incubation centre space.

Official sources told Deccan Herald an acre of land apiece at these cities have been provided by the State government for STPI to set up the incubation centres.

These centres are expected to cost around Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore for STPI sources said, adding they are working on the MoU with the State government for the same.

Further, they said the proposal is being forwarded to STPI governing council for necessary approval and budgetary sanctions.

These incubation centres, sources said, would be 20 seaters to enable enterprising entrepreneurs to float their start-ups. In Mysore the centre is planned near the Infosys Campus at Hebbal Electronic City, Hootagalli.

Point of presence

Likewise, STPI-Hubli houses the first of its kind incubation centre designed for startup companies. The 4,000 sq ft furnished infrastructure with full fledged plug and play facility presently houses 3 IT companies operting at the incubation centre. Currently, sources said, STPI Hubli has also a point of presence (PoP) at Belgaum to service the datacom needs of IT/ITES industry in Belgaum city. A similar PoP is planned at Manipal too. Both these would be upgraded to a full-fledged incubation centres soon.

The idea of an incubation centre at Belgaum is to see it is closer to the Maharashtra border so that it could attract potential entrepreneurs from Pune as well to provide for remote engineering as also IT-enabled services, they said.

Sources said at the 170 seater Bangalore incubation centre, while 11 companies have moved out for expansion, eight more are bing support currently.


Source: DH (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/24634/stpi-incubation-centres-dot-four.html)

Bangalore: JSW Energy Ltd. (JSWEL), a subsidiary of the Jindal South West (JSW) Group, is planning to commence power generation from its new 300 MW unit at Vijayanagar by the end of September. The company had commenced commercial operations from another 300 MW unit at the same location in July.

Speaking to The Hindu, S.S. Rao, Joint Managing Director and CEO, JSWEL, said the company would participate in the power purchase tender, which was floated by the Karnataka Government on Tuesday. Company sources said the average rate for power supplied by the company to the Karnataka grid between January and May 2009 was Rs. 6.50 per kilowatt-hour.

The investment in the 600 MW project (2x300 MW) amounted to Rs. 1,860 crore. This was funded by equity amounting to Rs. 465 crore. The remaining investment (Rs. 1,395 crores) was met by debt raised by the company.

Mr. Rao said JSWEL was initially sourcing coal supplies from the open market. However, in July, the company entered into a 25-year coal supply contract with an Indonesian company for supply of two million tonnes of coal from 2010-2011.

Of the 600 MW capacity, 318 MW would be supplied to JSW Group companies for which the company has entered into long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). The remaining capacity would be on the basis of short-term PPAs. Mr. Rao said Independent Power Producers prefer “merchant sales” of power, which are not contracted on the basis of PPAs. “The spot sale of power to users would obviously be more profitable,” he said.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/12/stories/2009091254210400.htm)

Upper Tunga Major Irrigation Project to be inaugurated this month
Cost of project escalated from Rs. 271.41 crore to Rs. 1,052.33 crore
First phase will irrigate 22,000 hectares of the command area

http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/12/images/2009091254730601.jpg

GULBARGA: The 18-year-old-long wait is over and smiles will be back on the faces of farmers in the drought-prone areas of Haveri, Davangere and Shimoga districts when the much-delayed Upper Tunga Major Irrigation Project will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa after the current special Assembly session in the second or third week of September.

The project taken up in 1991-92 to utilise 12.24 tmcft of water as per the allocation made in the Scheme A of the Bachawat Tribunal Award to irrigate 80,494 hectares of rain-fed areas, took nearly 18 years for overcoming bottlenecks and getting the clearances from the environment ministry.

Although the construction of the new dam across the Tunga river near Gajanur in Shimoga was completed in 2004, it took another five years for the officials to ensure release of water in the canals to provide water in the command areas in Hirekerur, Ranebennur, Haveri, Hanagal, Harihar, Honnalli and Shimoga taluks.

Chief Engineer of the Upper Tunga Project R. Rudraiah told The Hindu at the dam site in Gajanur that in the first phase, water would be released up to 157 km length of the main canal providing irrigation to 22,000 hectares of the command area and next year the water would be released to the full length of 272 km covering the entire command area of 80,494 hectares of land.


The cost of the project, when it was given administrative approval in 1991, was Rs 271.41 crore and the delay in executing the work resulted in the escalation of the cost of the project to Rs. 1,052.33 crore owing to the escalation in the cost of the steel and cement and other inputs.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/12/stories/2009091254730600.htm)

Read also Upper Bhadra may become national project (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/12/stories/2009091254540500.htm)


State to submit a Rs. 5,985-crore proposal to Centre
If proposal is accepted, 90 per cent funds will come from Centre
A 6.9-km tunnel to be built at Ajjampura at a cost of Rs. 233 crore

‘Rs. 4.5-cr. stadium, swimming pool will be ready by January’

Staff Correspondent

Goolihatti Shekar inaugurates Hassan district Dasara sports meet



Traditional: Chetan, gold medallist in international badminton sports for physically challenged, handing over the sports torch to Minister for Sports, Youth Services and Textiles Goolihatti C. Shekar at the inauguration of the Dasara sports meet of Mysore division in Hassan on Saturday.

HASSAN: Minister for Sports and Youth Services and Textiles Goolihatti C. Shekar said on Saturday that of the Rs. 100 crore released to the Sports and Youth Services Department, Rs. 15 crore would be used this year for laying synthetic tracks in Hassan, Mysore, Gulbarga and Mangalore and constructing swimming pools in five places.

He was addressing presspersons here after inaugurating the Hassan district Dasara Sports meet and inspecting work on the Rs. 4.5-crore indoor stadium and swimming pool.

He said the synthetic tracks would be insured for 10 years and that the contractor had to maintain them for 10 years.

Mr. Shekar said the indoor stadium and swimming pool would be ready by January next. A sum of Rs. 2.2 crore had been released and Rs. 2.3 crore would be released shortly. The swimming pools would be constructed in Hassan, Chitradurga and in two more places. The Chief Minister inaugurated a swimming pool in Gulbarga recently. In Bijapur, a cycling track would be built.

The Minister said the Government had decided to construct commercial stalls around stadiums. The revenue accrued could be utilised for the maintenance of the stadiums. At Chennagiri in Davangere district, a stadium was coming up at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore. Sixty-three commercial stalls would be constructed there.

Mr. Shekar said that many posts were vacant in the department and a high-level committee would meet on Monday to discuss the steps to be taken to fill them. The department required 82 coaches to train students.

On providing financial assistance to former sports personnel, Mr. Shekar said that he would appeal to the Chief Minister to help them through the Social Welfare Department.

Mr. Shekar said a one-month training in tailoring would be provided to 3,000 women in the first phase. The selected women would be paid a stipend of Rs. 2,000 and certificate after training so that they could obtain employment elsewhere.

Mr. Shekar visited the Himmat Singh Garment factory on the outskirts of Hassan and appreciated the training programme launched by the company.

Deputy Commissioner Naveen Raj Singh, CMC president Nethravathi Girish, and zilla panchayat president Kamakshi Raju were present.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/13/stories/2009091352300300.htm

STPI incubation centres to dot four State districts
Subrahmanyan Viswanath, Bangalore, Sep 11:

Spearheading Karnataka’s mission to take IT to Tier-II cities jointly is the Software Technology Parks of India-Bangalore (STPI-Bangalore).

The STPI-Bangalore, as part of its new initiatives, is planning incubation centres at Mysore, Shimoga and Belgaum besides enhancing its Hubli incubation centre space.

Official sources told Deccan Herald an acre of land apiece at these cities have been provided by the State government for STPI to set up the incubation centres.

These centres are expected to cost around Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore for STPI sources said, adding they are working on the MoU with the State government for the same.

Further, they said the proposal is being forwarded to STPI governing council for necessary approval and budgetary sanctions.

These incubation centres, sources said, would be 20 seaters to enable enterprising entrepreneurs to float their start-ups. In Mysore the centre is planned near the Infosys Campus at Hebbal Electronic City, Hootagalli.

Point of presence

Likewise, STPI-Hubli houses the first of its kind incubation centre designed for startup companies. The 4,000 sq ft furnished infrastructure with full fledged plug and play facility presently houses 3 IT companies operting at the incubation centre. Currently, sources said, STPI Hubli has also a point of presence (PoP) at Belgaum to service the datacom needs of IT/ITES industry in Belgaum city. A similar PoP is planned at Manipal too. Both these would be upgraded to a full-fledged incubation centres soon.

The idea of an incubation centre at Belgaum is to see it is closer to the Maharashtra border so that it could attract potential entrepreneurs from Pune as well to provide for remote engineering as also IT-enabled services, they said.

Sources said at the 170 seater Bangalore incubation centre, while 11 companies have moved out for expansion, eight more are bing support currently.

DH News Serivce

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/24634/stpi-incubation-centres-dot-four.html

HAVERI: The district administration has sent a proposal to the government to develop Abalooru, the birthplace of saint-poet Sarvajna, at a cost of Rs 13 crore.

Addressing the villagers after visiting the house where Sarvajna was born, here on Monday, DC H G Srivar said a memorial of Sarvajna will be built at a cost of Rs 50 lakh in Abalooru. Plans are also chalked out to set up Sarvajna Development Authority, and build children's park at Madaga lake and hanging bridge. Villagers will also be asked to suggest development works in Abalooru, he added.


Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hubli/Govt-nod-awaited-to-develop-Sarvajnas-birthplace/articleshow/4903884.cms)

BANGALORE: The Indian Wind Power Association (IWPA), which has about 70 wind energy developers of the state under its umbrella, on Saturday lashed out against the “inefficiency” of the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) - the state’s nodal agency for development of renewable energy.

According to the association, while the Energy minister is eager to have renewable energy projects, the top brass of KREDL is new to the sector and has a limited insight into its intricacies. “I am not taking names here. But recently, after the appointment of new officials in KREDL, things have not moved fast,” IWPA secretary U B Reddy told a press conference.

“The wind power industry, which clocked 161 MW in the first half of last financial year, has only seen a meager 28 MW development so far in this financial year,” he said. “Besides this, processing of proposals moves at snail’s pace with unnecessary queries moving back and forth,” he said.

“The industry feels that KREDL needs to be driven by an officer with great vision and with a mission to ensure that the target of the state government, of reaching 6,600 MW of renewable energy from the current 2,400 MW, is met,” said Reddy.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Wind+power+industry+unhappy+with+KREDL&artid=7aWqpKqXiGg=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=)

BANGALORE: The state government is likely to take the ordinance route to establish the state’s first private university to be set up by Wipro chairman Azim Premji. While the bill to set up the university has been cleared by the government, the Azim Premji Foundation (APF) has indicated that it was not willing to wait until the next legislature session due in December.

Since the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, mandates that a university has to be established under an Act, the state government is keen to implement the bill.

Sources in the secretariat indicated that the ordinance will be presented to the cabinet after the current legislature session concludes this week, and the governor is expected to promulgate the ordinance within a month.

The Azim Premji University Bill, 2009, has already been cleared by the Department of Parliamentary Affairs in February, and a scrutinising committee has cleared the bill recently with a few changes.

The scrutinising committee -- consisting of the Law Minister, law department secretary, Higher Education Minister, and Higher Education secretary -- had proposed that students from Karnataka should be given preference.

The committee has also suggested that the state government should be given the power to examine the fee structure being charged by the university. Other changes include the provision for the Higher Education Minister as pro-visitor and increasing the endowment fund of the university from Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore.

The Azim Premji University will be a unitary university established in Bangalore and will focusing largely on development of school education.

The bill is modelled on the Himachal Pradesh Private Universities Act, which provides the government extensive control over the university.

APF, in contrast, had pressed for the ICFAI University Act adopted by Uttarakhand, which is a less intrusive Act.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Private+varsity+to+take+ordinance+route&artid=8gWTLQJxCbk=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=b7ziAYMenjw=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=Azim%20Premji%20Foundation,Wipro%20chairman%20Azim%20Premji)

Recession may have put paid to big ticket ambitions of global corporations.

The economic slowdown sending majority of them into cost-cutting mode reining in their IT spends. However, closer home, though, global developments have not, in anyway, dented investments in IT & ITeS infrastructure projects by private developers, across southern states of India. And given it’s iconic status as Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore, in particular, & Karnataka, in general, as ever, lead from the front.

Being the most proactive State, and most sought after IT destinations, Karnataka, and Bangalore, have bagged most number of IT & ITeS infrastructure project investments compared to their equally successfully striding southern peers.

According to Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) quarterly update, prepared by ICRA Management Consultancy Services Limited accessed by Deccan Herald, of the 204 IT & ITeS infrastructure projects in Southern India, Karnataka lead with total of 57 projects, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 46, Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry combine 88 and Kerala 13.

While among total 204 projects, 37 per cent of these investments are under execution, 30 per cent of projects have been completed and 28 per cent under planning stage. In Karnataka, from among 57 projects, 16 are under execution, 26 in planning stage, 11 completed as of July 2009. Though investments run into several thousand crore, they have not been declared. What’s more heartening is the State’s plans to push projects into Tier-II cities are bearing results with few lined up in the districts of Mysore & Mandya as well, sources said.

Proposals in play
Those under execution are: Supreme Build Cap’s Rs 222 crore Global Tech Park at Deverabisanahalli. IBC Knowledge Park’s Rs 82.2 crore STP on Bannerghatta Road. Jaypee Group’s Rs 20 crore STP at Electronic City. The Rs 375 crore IT Pritech Park-II at Bellandur by Primal Projects. Bhoruka Group’s Rs 250 crore Bhoruka Tech Park at Whitefield. Upkar Software Facilities Software Development Centre on Hosur Road.

Fortune Builders & Developers STP. Harita Projects IT Park at Electronic City. Tata Group’s Project at Mahadevpura. Immaculate Holdings Immaculate Grands IT Park. Fortuna’s Tech Park at Electronic City. Kaushtubha Project’s IT Park at Devanam Plaza, Bangalore. Pallonji Group’s IT Park at S P Infocity, Mysore. Adarsh Prime Project’s IT Park in Bangalore. Ashtha Infrastructure’s IT Park at Electronic City and India Builders Corp’s Knowledge Park-Tower.

Those proposed are: Sri IT Park. Vaswani Group’s IT Park. Sunil Mantri’s Mantri Axis. Gulf Oil Corporation’s IT Park at Yelahanka. Harita Project’s, Salarpuria Project’s IT Park at Koorgalli. Nova Hamlet Ltd’s Software Park at Mysore. Abharana Infotech’s IT Park at Hebbagodi. SR Constructions IT Park at Mysore. Kalyani Developer’s at Koorgalli. Kruthi Computer Services’ STP at Mysore. Alliance Infrastructure’s STP, Pathak Constructions Pratham Tech Park at Mettagalli. Adarsh Prime Project’s Adarsh IT Park at Whitefield. Team 4ce Friendly Consortium’s IT Park at Mandya and Sita Lodge’s IT park at Bandapur.


Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/25187/state-beats-southern-peers-infra.html)

Gulbarga: The action plan for the Rs. 17-crore Second Finance Commission (SFC) Grant to the Gulbarga Municipal Corporation was approved without discussion amid protests and slogan-shouting by the some Congress and BJP members during the General Body Meeting of the Gulbarga City Corporation on Monday.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/15/stories/2009091555290300.htm)

Karnataka claims to have gone far ahead of other states when it came to using job fairs and helping job-seekers find jobs. It is part of the Centre’s efforts to promote job creation through the development of skills and promoting employment.

The state has held eight job fairs as part of the programme. It has held job fairs in Bangalore, Hubli, Gulbarga, Mangalore, Mysore among other cities.

The state has created a special purpose vehicle, Karnataka Vocational Training and Skill Development Corporation (KVTSDC), with the objective to create employable skilled manpower, headed by an executive director. Till now, 695 employers have taken part and 129,000 job seekers have registered. This is a platform for employers and job-seekers.


Read full news on BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/state-leads-in-centre%5Cs-efforts-to-create-jobs/370069/).

A giant mural depicting Karnataka’s celebrated events in the past, multifaceted present and promising future presented through a collage of diverse images creating an ascending visual narrative, unveiled on Monday at the Vikasa Soudha here.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6465/20090914mural2.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/20090914mural2.jpg/)


Fore more pictures visit Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=145690).

After the success of online tendering platform launched in 2008, Karnataka government will soon bring all government procurement and tendering to online platform by end of March 2010.

The e-procurement programme was launched by the e-governance department on a PPP model with Hewlett-Packard (HP). Besides ensuring transparency in bidding and procuring process, e-version also reduces transaction time.

Since every year various government departments floats tender worth Rs 24,000 crore for procurement which accounts to almost 50-60 per cent of department fund allocation, it accelerates decision making and delivery of service to citizen’s door step. “The e-procurement initiative was introduced in six government departments including PWD, SSA by Centre for e-governance for six months as a pilot project in 2008. Currently 31 government departments are using e-procurement platform and close to Rs 7,000 crore worth of tenders are carried out. We are planning to bring all government departments under this by end of this fiscal,” said E-governance Principal Secretary M N Vidyashankar.

The objective is to create an end-to-end platform for handling all stages of procurement. This has created maximum participation of bidders. “We are receiving bids from north eastern states and have seen increase in number of bids and also competition. In addition, the government is able to receive tenders at 20- 32 per cent lesser rates than it estimated,” he added. The e-procurement solution is hosted on the state central servers and solution is purely developed on an open source.

Technology partner HP provides blade servers, SAN storage boxes, and other IT infrastructure. The alliance with HP is a revenue sharing arrangement, with HP getting paid for every transaction of tenders coming online. HP also operates a support desk for users, six days a week and offers user guides and develops other training manuals.

The State government wants other central government institutions to use e-tendering platform and submitted a presentation of the e-tendering to World Bank for enhancement of the facilty .


Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/25379/karnataka-take-e-way-government.html)

Akash, Karnataka was lagging behind in e-governance. Now, along with e-tendering UID will also start in Karnataka.

KREDL managing director H.G. Shivananda Murthy termed the allegations baseless.

He said: “As on September 5, wind energy projects for 55 MW and mini-hydro projects worth 55 MW had been commissioned. We hope to add 525 MW by the end of this financial year,” he said.


Mr. Murthy said that China Light Power had not approached KREDL.

“In a letter to KREDL, British Petroleum has said that they were forced to withdraw from the project owing to recession.”


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/17/stories/2009091761880300.htm)

kolkata: Tata Metaliks has decided to put on hold its proposed integrated steel project in Karnataka owing to losses it incurred in 2008-09 fiscal. “With the kind of balancesheet we have now, we can’t undertake our Karnataka project,” said HM Nerurkar, chairman of the Tata Steel subsidiary.


Source: FE (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/tata-metaliks-shelves-karnataka-project/517467/)

Bangalore, Sept. 15 The Karnataka Government is betting big on attracting investments into the State, and all efforts are on to make the Global Investors’ Meet scheduled to be held in January 2010 a big success, said Mr Murugesh R. Nirani, State Minister for Large and Medium-Scale Industries.

“We want to create a land bank for industries of about one lakh acres. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) would be the nodal agency for land acquisition. As part of Phase I of acquiring 50,000 acres, 30,000 acres are in the final notification stage and the rest in the preliminary notification phase,” he added.

Mr Nirani said this at the Founder’s Day celebrations of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), where the industry body conferred the ‘Sir M. Visvesvaraya Memorial Award’ on Mr Sajjan Jindal, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, JSW Steel Ltd, on Tuesday.

The Governor of Karnataka, Mr H.R. Bhardwaj, delivered the Visvesvaraya Memorial Lecture.

Mr J. Crasta, President, FKCCI, said the industry body had taken many initiatives in the past one year to provide better services to its members such as establishment of a business research cell, holding the first State-level conference of district chambers, inauguration of the alternate dispute resolution cell, release of the industrial, commercial and service directory, and efforts to secure land from the State Government to establish a skill development institute. “We want to release a tourism directory shortly,” he added.

At the event, Mr Crasta appreciated the State Government’s efforts to implement the Dr D.M. Nanjundappa Report for development of the backward regions. “We are sure that the efforts of the Government will help these areas catch up with the more advanced districts of the State,” he said.


Source: Business Line (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/09/16/stories/2009091651211700.htm)

Karnataka sets up 7 task forces to woo investments (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/09/15/stories/2009091550951700.htm)

Pointers for infrastructure

• Put forth a proper mechanism to create a land bank through the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board and empowering the Karnataka Udyog Mitra (the single-window agency) with requisite powers to allot the land with due clearance from all other related agencies to make the clearance process simple and easy.

• Ensure availability of quality, uninterrupted power to industries; currently, there is a total deficit of 2,500 MW in the State.

• Identify clusters along the Bangalore-Mysore Industrial Corridor, the Bangalore-Chennai Corridor, and the Bangalore-Mumbai Corridor.

“The Government should identify clusters and create the necessary economic and social infrastructure around these clusters,” said Mr Girish, also a member of the Infrastructure Taskforce.

This would help decongest Bangalore, and also take industries to other areas. A clear-cut vision to develop rural areas would also help minimise migration to cities in the State.

• Provide high-speed rail connectivity to the proposed Devanahalli Business Park and International Convention Centre near the new international airport.

With the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra already heavily pitching for aerospace companies to set up shop in Hyderabad and Nagpur respectively, the Karnataka Government should act on the aerospace SEZ immediately.

• Create a clear legal structure before the global investors’ meet. For this, “we suggest that it is essential to create an independent infrastructure company as an apex holding company, on the lines of India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd, to attract investments into the State,” said Mr Girish. He added that this apex holding company would have special purpose vehicles for projects such as Metro Rail, Mono Rail, road projects, and Devanahalli Business Park.

Besides these recommendations, the BCIC plans to submit a report on incentives for investors, and also chart out a legal structure for infrastructure.

The industry body would also recommend the Government to bring in top-notch legal advisors and bankers/financial institutions into the picture. “We would also suggest thought-leaders for infrastructure,” said Mr Girish.

Karnataka is to buy about 2,000 MW of power from independent power producers in the country to meet the power requirements in the state. They will buy power on medium term as well as long term basis under case-1 bidding process of Ministry of Power, Government of India.

The state government will buy 475 MW in the medium term, for up to seven years, and 1,500 MW on a long term basis for up to 25 years. The state's power from all sources, including a central share adds to 8,500 MW. Despite this, there is a shortfall of 2,400 MW.


Source: ASAPP (http://constructionupdate.com/CMS/Newsletter/NewsFiles/4198.html)

Karnataka seeks 40-45 mmscmd KG-D6 gas from Centre (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/karnataka-seeks-40-45-mmscmd-kg-d6-gascentre/73510/on)

BANGALORE: The State government would soon come out with a sand mining policy to regulate indiscriminiate mining activitis looting natural resources.

Transport Minister R Ashoka on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that a final decision in this regard would be taken at the next Cabinet’s meeting.

According to him, the proposed policy is aimed to regulate and restrict sand mining activities to a few designated points across the state besides mopping up additional revenue by plugging leakages. Ashoka said that Tamil Nadu raises around Rs 200 crore revenue from sand mining as against Rs 10 crore from Karnataka.


Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Govt+regulations+on+sand+mining+in+state+soon&artid=FCRVkILni54=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Will this affect Real Estate?

Center is planing to set up a Mega Food Park in Chikmagalur.


Similarly a sum of Rs 3,700 crore has been assured in order to set up 10 mega food parks in the first phase of the 11th five-year Plan. This includes Rs 2,500 crore-investment from individual units, Rs 700 crore from special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and the Centre contributing Rs 500 crore. A total of 30 mega food parks are expected to be set up during the 11th Plan. Each food park is expected to have 30 units, which are collectively expected to attract Rs 250 crore. The SPV, which will require an investment of Rs 120 crore, will include the government's contribution of Rs 50 crore. Hence, each park will attract an investment of Rs 370 crore. Apart from private entities, government agencies are also allowed to be part of the SPV. Consequently, the West Bengal Horticulture Development Corporation and Assam Industrial Development Corporation are stakeholders in their respective state mega food parks.

Source: FnB (http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=26118&sectionid=1)

Shirasi - Mini Vidhana Soudha is almost complete

Mini Vidhana Soudha built at a cost of rupees 2.34 crores will be inagurated by CM in 2nd week of November this year. It has 2 floors with 9675 square feet each. There is a separate 1750 square feet parking space. A proposal for building additional floor at a cost of ruppes 1.80 crores is already submitted to state government.

For more details read Udayavani (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=696797&lang=2).

Karwar - Government Engineering College

A Engineering college has started functioning in the premises of Government Polytechnic college at Karwar without making much noise.

For more details read Udayavani (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=696694&lang=2).

Bidar sees a silent revolution
S Kushala & Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, TNN 19 September 2009, 05:51am IST
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BIDAR: The Advanced Jet Trainer Hawks fly above with deafening speed. Bulldozers and earth-moving equipment roar to life and mow down buildings.
Partially demolished structures, rubble, men clearing debris — it looks like a war-ravaged zone.

On the other side, vast stretches of ring road lined with trees and manicured median, run parallel to the Air Force station. Wide roads with a row of palms in the middle, roads meandering through two huge mountains into a valley, and colourful Surya Kirans doing sorties in the clear skies.

A silent revolution has been happening in the most backward district over the past two years, with the mantra being infrastructure development. Change came to Bidar with young IAS officer Harsh Gupta, deputy commissioner, who set the ball rolling.

Bidar town is now being branded at the national level as a model city. The secret: an effective administration and people’s participation, where citizens have voluntarily given up lands for ring roads and property owners have broken down their buildings for road widening.

A leaf taken out of here and there has made a lot of difference. The BBMP’s pre-cast magic box technology has also been used — not as underpasses, but for storm water drains below the roads! Gupta, who had a stint at BBMP as incharge of storm water drains remodelling, conceptualised projects for Bidar based on Bangalore’s bad experience in haphazard growth.

Flush with funds from the Centre and state governments, Bidar project was cleared by the Union Planning Commission. The Rs 136-crore Bidar transformation project is the chief minister’s pet project, over his home turf Shimoga.

“The key is PPP. We were transparent and took people into confidence. After the initial resentment, people came around. We communicated every move to citizens, who finally saw development in their city. We knew the legal process of land acquisition would take time and asked people to demolish properties with violations. Farmers were convinced to give up lands for outer and inner ring roads,’’ explained Gupta.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/bangalore/Bidar-sees-a-silent-revolution/articleshow/5029168.cms

Principal Secretary for e-governance M.N. Vidyashankar said here on Saturday that Karnataka would substantially enhance its e-governance initiatives by the end of this year. The department would spend close to Rs. 190 crore for the purpose during the remaining part of this fiscal by launching 12 additional projects.

Speaking to presspersons during a break at the launch of the T.A. Pai Managament Institute Centre for e-governance Research and Education, Mr. Vidyashankar said six BPOs, on the public-private-partnership model would come up in districts this year. He said one was functional near Bagepalli and another was coming up near Shimoga. The Government was providing part of the infrastructure and each BPO would seat 200 staff. “These BPOs will provide backup for services related to the Social Welfare Department, gram panchayats and so on,” he said.

Centres in city

Bangalore would also benefit from government spending with 53 new BangaloreOne centres, taking the total to 100, he said. Most of the new centres would be located in newly added BBMP areas, and preference would be given to residents without easy access to utility payment centres. Centres similar to BangaloreOne would come up in eight other cities like Mysore and Belgaum before December end, with at least three in each city. Spreading e-governance infrastructure further, the Government would expand its wide area network connectivity to 176 taluks in 29 districts.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Vidyashankar referred to an earlier short-lived experiment to bring e-governance practices to teaching hospitals. “We tried to bring transparency in all aspects like professors’ attendance, fee payments and evaluation of internal tests. Though this project did not last, we are reviving it and will select another teaching hospital and make it a success,” he said.

Subash Bhatnagar of Indian Institute of Managament –Ahmedabad said in his keynote talk that TAPMI’s MBA programme in e-governance had proved useful and this had spawned similar programmes in several other universities. “Transformation through e-governance holds out the same promise that the nascent information technology industry did 25 years ago. It may be possible to reach good governance to every citizen in the country and not just those with connections and money,” he said.

Generating more employment and economic opportunities, increasing information and communication technology penetration to rural areas, enhancing global competitiveness of our agriculture, and above all tackling corruption in governance would be some of the pluses of e-governance, Prof. Bhatnagar said.


Source: The Hindu (http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article22454.ece)

Read also Karnataka to take e-way for government procurement (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=43136228&postcount=478).

^^ Cheers Bidar!

SHIMOGA: Minister for Energy K.S. Eshwarappa said on Saturday that road-widening work would be taken up only between Gopi Circle and Jail Circle here.

Speaking at a meeting of residents and shop-owners of Jail Road, Nehru Road and Savaraline Road, which has been identified for road-widening, at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, he said that widening of roads was not the only solution for the development of the city. There would not be any kind of operation in the name of road-widening.

Earlier, Mr. Eshwarappa along with president of the Shimoga City Municipal Council N.J. Rajashekhar, Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Chairman of the Shimoga Urban Development Authority S. Jnaneshwar and Assistant Commissioner Vaishali visited these three roads and sought the opinion of residents and businessmen on the proposed widening of roads. Mr. Eshwarappa said that with the development work on B.H. Road, he said several projects had been successfully implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa. Nehru Road and other major roads would be concreted.

He said Jail Road would not be widened, but the existing road would be concreted by the city municipal council at a cost of Rs. 2.5 crore. Electric poles would be removed and underground power cables would be laid on this road. Mr. Eshwarappa said that the road passing through Durgigudi was narrow and led to traffic congestion. The width of this road would be restricted to 35 ft for smooth movement of vehicles.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/20/stories/2009092054550300.htm)

krishnamoorthy i found this video though its not relevant as a whole in this thread....but i felt its a nice compilation of NICE Road/peripheral road........I wonder what it would look like once bangalore-Mysore route is completed.. .

mfagIHGWm4E&feature=related

LOOK FOR 1:30 3:09 3:21

^^ Good one. What happened to other express ways proposed by NICE? (Bangalore-Mangalore is one among them). Whether Mandya's weather is comparable with Bangalore? I could not feel the difference when I travelled through Mandya in a/c volvo buses. Any idea which one has the best weather among Kolar, Tumkur & Mandya?

^^ of course mandya's climate rocks :cheers:...its a good flourishing city...............
regarding NICE BMIC project the case is still pending in the court............:bash:

With 78 notebook products, it is the largest supplier
The company receives enquiries from Kerala too

Bangalore: The State-owned Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) has set itself a target of achieving an annual turnover of Rs. 100 crore from Rs. 40 crore now through the sales of Lekhak and Vidya notebooks over the next five years, riding on increased budgetary allocation to the education sector.


The Rs. 250-crore worth notebook market in Karnataka is expected to grow to be a Rs. 500-crore market in the next five years.

Nearly 12 notebook manufacturing companies have a combined share of about Rs. 175 crore and the rest is controlled by local players.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.thehindu.com/2009/09/21/stories/2009092159340400.htm)

Kemar (Udupi Dist.): Energy Minister K.S. Eshwarappa said on Tuesday that the Government was planning to make 1,000 MW to 1,250 MW additional power available in the State this year.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 22-kV double-circuit line between Kemar and the Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) at Yellur, at the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation’s substation here.

This 22.7-km-long double-circuit line has been laid at a cost of Rs. 33.21 crore. The laying of the line began on February 9 and was completed on September 17. It was aimed at providing start-up power to UPCL’s thermal power plant at Yellur.

Mr. Eshwarappa said that there was a demand for 10,500 MW power in the State against about 7,000 MW generated. Last year, the Government had to purchase Rs. 3,000-crore worth power from other States to meet the shortfall.

An ultra-mega thermal power plant would be set up at Kudgi in Bijapur district by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Although a 4,000-MW ultra-mega coal-based thermal power plant was proposed to be set up at Tadadi in Uttara Kannada district, the Government had to change its plans owing to opposition from environmentalists. It had now decided to set up three units of 700 MW each by Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. at a cost of Rs. 4,000 crore, he said.

Another thermal power plant would come up at Jewargi in Gulbarga district. The Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Chhattisgarh for supply of 2,000 MW power from there.

All these steps had been taken to ensure that there should be no power shortage in the State in the next three years.

The successful commissioning of all the proposed power projects would meet the power requirements of the State for the next 10 years, the Minister said.

The shortage of transformers, poles, and power lines in rural areas would soon be addressed. Special squads, formed to check power theft, had imposed penalties of Rs. 100 crore on the culprits last year.

“Although it is difficult at present to provide 24-hour power supply throughout the State, steps will be taken to achieve this goal in the next three to four years,” he said.

‘No shortage’

The State might not face power shortage this year because of good rain. The Government was hoping that the coal-based thermal power plant of UPCL at Yellur would be able to produce 500 MW of power by March-end of 2010, Mr. Eshwarappa said.

MLA Gopal Bhandary presided over the function.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/23/stories/2009092355420500.htm)

Gulbarga: Soon after assuming office, the Union Labour and Employment Minister, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, had sanctioned a super speciality hospital and medical college to Gulbarga district. Mr. Kharge had written to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa seeking early handing over of the land needed for the purpose. He also requested Gulbarga University to agree to transfer 30 acres of land in its main campus to the ESI Corporation authorities for the project.

Gulbarga University, in its Syndicate meeting, passed a resolution agreeing to hand over the required land. The State Government then directed officials to finalise the formalities.

Official sources told The Hindu here on Tuesday that as per the directions of the State Government, Deputy Commissioner K.S. Satyamurthy on Tuesday convened a meeting of the ESI Corporation officials and Gulbarga University authorities to finalise the price of the identified land and also to fix the yearly rent for the land which will be given on lease for 99 years.

Sources said the meeting agreed to fix the price of the land according to the prices quoted in the registrar office for the land in Gulbarga University area. Those who attended the meeting agreed to send the proceedings of the meeting to the State Government for approval.

However, Regional Commissioner Rajneesh Goel told authorities concerned that the price fixed for the land was too high and he would review the proposal again after calling for the files pertaining to the transfer of land to ESI Corporation.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/23/stories/2009092353830300.htm)

Bangalore: The Cabinet Subcommittee for Regularisation of Unauthorised Constructions in the State, which met here on Tuesday, has recommended slashing of penalty rates applicable under the earlier Akrama-Sakrama Scheme by nearly 50 per cent.

Minister for Transport R. Ashok, who is in-charge for Bangalore North and is also chairman of the subcommittee, said the penalty for violations of building laws and unauthorised structures on revenue sites would range between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 2.10 lakh. Further, people could seek regularisation over a six-month period (once the implementation of the scheme is announced) as against the earlier three-month period.

The Akrama-Sakrama Scheme, formulated during the H.D. Kumaraswamy regime, could not be implemented following stringent opposition from people over high penalty rates. The then Government had amended the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act to bring forth the regularisation as a one-time measure. The Legislative Assembly recently adopted the Karnataka Land Revenue (second amendment) Bill 2009 which seeks to regularise all unauthorised layouts and housing sites developed prior to December 31, 2008.

There are nearly seven lakh unauthorised structures in Bangalore alone, and the Government is pushing through with the implementation of the scheme.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/23/stories/2009092355921000.htm)

GULBARGA: The modernisation of the 428-km-long main canal and 1,435 km of distributaries of the Bhadra Major Irrigation Project taken up at a cost of Rs. 951 crore will, along with the introduction of the concept of water management, help in the judicious use of water.

The project, which was inaugurated in 1966, was allocated 61.70 tmcft of water under Scheme A of the Bachawat Tribunal award. A dam was constructed across the Bhadra near Lakkavalli village in Tarikere taluk of Chikmagalur district.

The Bhadra Major Irrigation Project was designed to irrigate more than 1.05 lakh hectares in Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Davangere districts. It covers a command area of 79,262 hectares in Davangere district, 21,241 hectares in Shimoga district and 5,067 hectares in Chikmagalur district.

One of the major drawbacks in the canal system drawn up at the time of the sanction of the project was that it was unlined in many places. As a result of the absence of a concrete lining, seepage was reported at several points in the command area. Heavy leakage was detected in aqueducts, super-passages and sluices, and this called for immediate repairs to stop wastage of water.

Therefore, the State Government decided to modernise the canal system with Central assistance under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP).

Chief Engineer of the Bhadra project Rudraiah told The Hindu that modernisation of the canal system included improvement of the structural components and providing a concrete lining. It also included major repairs to tunnels, aqueducts and other structures that were in bad shape.

Although the total command area of the project is more than 1.05 lakh hectares, the total irrigation potential, including both kharif and rabi crops, is 1.77 lakh hectares.

Modernisation work has been completed in 272 km of the 428-km main canal and in 926 km of the 1,435 km of distributaries for which Rs. 488.24 crore has been spent.

Mr. Rudraiah said that the remaining work would be completed during the next two canal-closure periods from November 2009 to December 2009 and from May 2010 to June 2010. The Centre has so far released Rs. 325 crore under the AIBP.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/23/stories/2009092360500600.htm)

Earlier post on this is 'A long wait for farmers comes to an end' (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=42979536&postcount=468).

* It will initially have a capacity of 5 MTPA
* NMDC plans to double capacity at a later date

Bangalore: The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), the country’s largest iron ore producer, has decided to establish an integrated steel plant with a capacity of five million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in Bellary district with an investment of Rs. 9,280 crore.

The public sector NMDC will set up the plant in the special industrial zone to be set up in Bellary, Hospet and Sandur taluks by the Vijayanagar Area Development Authority (VADA).

Officials in the Department of Medium and Larges Industries told The Hindu that the mining major had sought 5,000 acres for setting up the plant. However, the screening committee of the Industries Department, which assessed the requirement of land for the project, found that the extent of land requested for the project was on higher side and said 2,500 acres would be sufficient for a five MTPA plant. Representatives of the company said it needed 5,000 acres to expand capacity to 10 MTPA later.

The State High-level Clearance Committee headed by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, which met recently, has approved the project and directed the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to acquire land on behalf of the NMDC, the officials said.

The company, which has an annual sales turnover of over Rs. 6,400 crore, will invest Rs. 900 crore on land and building, Rs. 6,000 crore on plant and machinery, Rs. 1,880 crore on working capital margin and keep Rs. 500 crore for contingencies. It will mobilise the amount from promoters’ equity, including reserves (Rs. 5,568 crore) and term loans (Rs. 3,712 crore).

Company officials have requested the Government to ensure that VADA supplies water at 16.88 million gallons per day from the Alamatti dam in Bijapur district. The Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM) will supply 500 MW a year to the plant, the officials said.

Employment

The steel plant is expected to provide employment to 2,500 persons, and the State Government has requested the promoter to give preference to local people.

Before beginning work on the project, the Government has directed the NMDC to obtain environment clearances from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The company would be eligible for all incentives available under the State’s Industrial Policy, the officials said.


Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/23/stories/2009092354580400.htm)

MSPL to set up two iron ore plants (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mspl-to-settwo-iron-ore-plants/370171/)
Tata Metaliks may push Karnataka steel plan next year (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/tata-metaliks-may-push-k%5Ctaka-steel-plan-next-yr/370240/)
JSW Steel seeks iron ore mine in Karnataka (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/jsw-steel-seeks-iron-ore-mine-in-karnataka/370636/)
Eleven industrial projects cleared (http://www.thehindu.com/2009/09/01/stories/2009090155450500.htm)
Karnataka govt plans 300-km steel corridor (http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=366400)

Bellary-Hospet-Koppal steel corridor may lead to faster development of North Karnataka. Soon we may have to start an independent thread for Bellary. I suggest thread name to be "Bellary - A Journey from Jeans City to Steel City".

Gulbarga to see more of CM
TNN 23 September 2009, 11:25pm IST
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GULBARGA: Gulbarga city should become a model city, said chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to reporters on Wednesday.


He said he will visit Gulbarga city often to inspect the development works under progress. He will use an open jeep to travel in the city for one hour, so he can see the conditions of the drainages, roads, and footpaths to know the status of the work. He said the funds will be utilized properly and with good quality projects in the coming days.

He also said according to a decision taken at a syndicate meeting, 30 acres of land will be given to the Centre for the construction of a super specialty hospital and medical college in Gulbarga.

The government will take up the expenditure of educating the poor, talented students in the district.

Referring to Shimoga student, R Manjula, an engineering student who funded her education as a domestic labourer, the CM said her education expenses have been taken care of and that government will cover education expenses for such students.

The CM said the date for the winter session in November will be announced soon. The session held recently was not useful, as the opposition parties spent the time without discussing anything.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hubli/Gulbarga-to-see-more-of-CM/articleshow/5048177.cms

^^ There should be a way of inspecting the progress sitting in Bangalore itself using video camera. Realtime communication with the cameraman should enable to explore minute details. Of course, this is not substitute for on spot inspection.

To know the condition of a footpath one should walk on it!

Special package for Bellary in the offing

Staff Correspondent

It is to mark the 500th anniversary of the coronation of Krishnadevaraya

Schemes include road improvement and fluoride-free drinking water supply

We are keen on ensuring development as seen during Vijayanagar period: Minister

BELLARY: A special package of schemes for the overall development of Bellary district is in the offing to mark the 500th anniversary of the coronation of Sri Krishnadevaraya, a Vijayanagar king, according to G. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development.

Speaking to presspersons at Dammur village, around 30 km from the city, Mr. Reddy said that the special package of schemes proposed would include improvement of all the roads in the district, completion of lift irrigation schemes, providing fluoride-free drinking water to all the villages.

“Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagar empire that had a glorious past. Now that we are celebrating the fifth centenary of the coronation of Sri Krishnadevaraya, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddurappa was keen on ensuring the overall development of the district as was seen during the Vijayanagar period,” he said.

To a question, Mr. Reddy said that a Cabinet sub-committee, constituted under his chairmanship for chalking out plans and programmes to celebrate the fifth centenary of the coronation on a grand scale, will prepare the special package of schemes and get it implemented in one year from November 1, 2009 to October 31, 2010.

The coronation celebrations will begin on November 1 at Hampi. They will also be held all over the State till January 29, 2010.

When the tardy progress in implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the district was brought to his notice, Mr. Reddy said that a district-level workshop for presidents and officials of panchayat raj institutions would be held on September 26 to create awareness and educate them about the importance of the scheme. Also, the works that could be taken up for the development of rural areas would be discussed at the workshop. “Prior to the workshop, I will hold a meeting with officials and set a target for them,” he said.

He reiterated that a committee of irrigation experts was looking into the possibilities of removing silt from the Tungabhadra Reservoir at Hospet. It will submit its report to Basavaraj Bommai, Minister for Water Resources. “I am in constant touch with Mr. Bommai in this connection and also about roping in industrialists to remove silt if they wanted allocation of water for their industries. My proposal was that if an industry is in need of one tmcft of water, it should remove two tmcft of silt so that farmers could also benefit,” he said.

Earlier, Mr. Reddy laid the foundation stone for the construction of a “samudaya bhavan” and distributed cheques to owners of houses that were damaged in heavy rain.

T.H. Suresh Babu, M.S. Somalingappa, both legislators, J. Shanta, MP, and Rudragouda, zilla panchayat president, were present.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/24/stories/2009092452370300.htm