Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MM/MB)
Pic Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, Apr 22: A total of 2600 acres of land is to be acquired for Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in DK district and it is expected to attract investment worth Rs 140000 crore in the district, said Veerappa Moily, chairman of Union Administrative Reforms Commission.
He was speaking on the topic ‘Transformation of D K’ organized by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Sunday April 22.
Within the coming 5 years, the district would get 7 lac employment opportunities. For this purpose, the infrastructural facilities must be improved to a large extent. If the D K district will not occupy number one position in economic development, Karnataka state will not get first place in this regard, he opined.
About 50 projects have shown interest to enter this SEZ and 17 to 18 downstream industries would enter this area. But the environmental approach should be transparent and open, he said.
“The Mangalore harbour has not been utilized to the full extent. Only 35% of the capacity has been utilized. This is the cheapest mode of transportation available for the investor. I hope, in the coming days, the harbour would be utilized for large extent” he assured.
Mangalore is the best location available for IT in the country. The foundation has been laid in Karnataka regarding this sector. After 10 years, nobody could beat Karnataka in the IT sector, he expressed confidence.
“For the overall development of the district, a stable and matured political climate is necessary. I will have a dialogue with all the political leaders, irrespective of party,” Moily said.
Developmental works at Mangalore Airport are under progress. The railway safety commission has cleared the Bangalore-Mangalore railway route. Only the railway minister has to fix the date for the inauguration. But there are problems in road connectivity, where more emphasis is needed, he noted.
City corporation deputy mayor Abdul Salim and KCCI office-bearers, Ravindra Nayak, Srinivas Kamat, Kumble Narasimha Prabhu, M Ahmad Bava and others were present.
KCCI president Capt John Prasad Menezes welcomed the gathering. Secretary Shekhar Pujari proposed vote of thanks.