Bengaluru and IT are inseparable, says CM Bommai

‘Bengaluru is important for IT due to its technological base, skilled man power, and salubrious climate’

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai speaking in the Legislative Assembly session on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Taking an indirect dig at those who feel that IT firms may shift to other States if Bengaluru’s flood-hit infrastructure is not rebuilt, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday argued that it is not possible to separate the IT sector from Bengaluru and Karnataka.

“There is no second word about the IT/BT sector’s contribution in building Brand Bengaluru. But at the same time, Bengaluru is also important for IT sector because of its technological base, skilled manpower, and salubrious climate,” Mr. Bommai told the Legislative Assembly, while replying to a debate on recent rains and floods.

“There is a strong ground for Bengaluru in terms of its culture and education apart from technological base and skilled manpower,” he said.

Return of IT

He observed that some of the IT companies which had relocated to Orissa and Hyderabad had come back to Bengaluru.

The Chief Minister said that the process of building technological base and skilled man power in Karnataka and particularly in Bengaluru had started decades ago when the Mysuru kings had started several institutions of higher learning.

Similarly, several PSUs particularly those in the electronics sector had been set up in Bengaluru as early as in the sixties itself, he pointed out.

He argued that the sector was the main beneficiary of such efforts as it helped propelled its growth. He stressed the need for not ignoring the contribution of Karnataka as well as its people for the growth of IT sector.

At the same time, he said, “It is our responsibility to retain IT sector. We will be taking up all the necessary measures including providing the necessary infrastructure to them.”

Referring to the complaints of flooding of some of the IT parks during the recent rains, he said developers of some of the parks had indeed encroached upon storm-water drains.

The IT Minister had already held a round of consultations with representatives of IT industry on resolving such issues, he said.

Everyone has a role

Earlier in the day, Revenue Minister R. Ashok had remarked that even ordinary people too had played their part in building ‘Brand Bengaluru’ in addition to the IT sector.