CM HD Kumaraswamy kickstarts new job generation project called 'Compete with China'

The ‘Compete with China’ scheme, under which various skill-based industrial clusters will be set up across nine districts in the state, was approved by the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday.
CM HD Kumaraswamy kickstarts new job generation project called  'Compete with China'
CM HD Kumaraswamy kickstarts new job generation project called 'Compete with China'
Written by:

“When Kumaraswamy came to power, everyone expected the development of Hassan district alone. Despite the budget doling out developmental works for Hassan district, Kumaraswamy promised something which no other CM has done in the past few years. He promised jobs,” says a JD(S) leader close to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

The ‘Compete with China’ scheme, under which various skill-based industrial clusters will be set up across nine districts in the state, was approved by the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday.

“Three of the clusters will be in North Karnataka, two in the central districts and the rest in southern districts of the state. With this move, Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda are now planning to expand their base from Old Mysuru to other districts in the state. They want to build a vote bank,” the JD(S) leader said.

An initial fund of Rs 500 crore has been set aside for the ‘Compete with China’ scheme. The clusters will be set up in Kalaburagi, Chitradurga, Hassan, Koppal, Mysuru, Ballari, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru and Bidar.

The aim is to promote manufacturing industries that make LED bulbs, furniture, electronic parts, solar panels and integrated circuits in order to compete with Chinese-made goods.

The industries will be set up in clusters in various villages of the above district and the parts will be sent to the assembly line, which will be located in the district headquarters.

The government will also provide skill-based training programmes. A cluster to manufacture bathroom floor tiles will be set up in Hassan district. A toy manufacturing cluster will come up in Koppal. The scheme was announced during the budget for 2018-19.

The cabinet also approved the setting up of Semiconductor Fabless Accelerator for research and development in electronic hardware in Bengaluru. “It will be developed as a centre of excellence and will come up at a cost of Rs 56 crore and will be the first of its kind in the country,” Law Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said.

The state government has tied up with India Electronics and Semiconductor Association for the project. The Karnataka cabinet granted approval to Varada Solar Limited to purchase 44 acres of land in Yelaburga, 275 acres in Vijayapura district and 282 acres in Aurad, where the solar panel manufacturing cluster is slated to come up. The Cabinet gave its approval for Vasavadatta Cements to purchase 650 acres directly from farmers in Sedam taluk to set up a cement plant there.

Approval was also granted for the Government Tool Room and Training Centres (GTTC) at Humnabad, Madikeri, Haveri, Challakere and Gauribidanur at the cost of Rs 49.35 crore.

“Crop assessment will be done across the state using a mobile-based app. The cost is estimated to be Rs 25 crore,” Krishna Byre Gowda said.

The cabinet also approved a Rs 457-crore project to provide drinking water supply to Ramanagara and Channapatna towns.

“Economic activity in rural areas are generally limited to agriculture or any other farming-related occupation. There are local small industries which produce handmade goods but there has not been much industrial activity. This is a step to create jobs which were promised. Once people achieve financial stability, they will begin to look at JD(S) as an option. As of now, the party’s presence in the state is limited. The next five years will see efforts to mobilise the vote banks,” the JD(S) leader added.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The News Minute
www.thenewsminute.com