S. Sudhakar Shetty, senior vice-president, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), Bengaluru, has urged the government to focus on industrial development so as to tackle the problem of unemployment.
Mr. Shetty said that industrial development would also result in overall development of the State. He further claimed that industries in Karnataka have provided direct and indirect jobs to over three crore people while the State itself was able to provide jobs to very few people.
Hence, it was essential to promote industrial growth by providing all requisite infrastructure and financial aid to industries.
Presiding over the inaugural function of a six-day training programme on export management here on Monday, Mr. Shetty said that there were 5,24,000 small-scale industries and 12 lakh medium and large industries across the State and apart from generating huge revenues to the State exchequer, these industries were playing a vital role in addressing the unemployment problem.
Main contributor
He said that the annual import of the country was ₹2,45,000 crore and export was ₹1,57,000 crores.
“Karnataka stands first in exports in India and of ₹1,57,000 crore exports, Karnataka contributes over ₹1,05,000 crores. Export of software and other products of IT and BT constitute 80% of the exports,” he said.
Mr. Shetty claimed that the FKCCI had organised over 245 programmes across the State to enlighten traders about GST and prepare them for the new system of taxation.
Success stories
He said that a farmer-turned-industrialist in Holenarsipur was engaged in exporting ragi to over 26 countries and making huge profits. Similarly, a young entrepreneur from Challakere in Chitradurga taluk was engaged in exporting groundnut and other agricultural products to many countries.
He called upon entrepreneurs to acquire complete knowledge of exports and laws prevailing in the business and begin the export business so as to earn profits and carry out their work without hassle.
M. Prabhu, MD, Visveswaraya Trade Promotion Centre, said the Centre, along with other organisations, had organised the programme to encourage entrepreneurs to take up the export business. He called upon participating traders to contact the Centre if they came across any difficulty in the process.
Earlier Vasu, MLA, said industrial production and exports indicate the development of a nation.
H. Ramakrishne Gowda, Joint Director, District Industries Centre, N.H. Jayanath, president, Hebbal Industries Association, M. Chinnaswamy, chairman, Institution of Engineers, were among those who participated in the programme.
