Hyderabad Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HKCCI), a body of industrialists and traders, demanded that the State government to develop Kalaburagi as a satellite town of Hyderabad along the lines of Gurugram on the border of Delhi.
The trade body has also planned to discuss the matter with Minister of Higher Education, Information Technology and Bio-Technology C.N. Ashwath Narayan during his visit to Kalaburagi on Tuesday.
In a media release here on Monday, HKCCI president Prashant Manakar, secretary Sharanabasappa Pappa and chairman of Information Technology Sub-Committee of the trade body Veerendra Basareddy put a set of demands before the government as a prerequisite to developing Kalaburagi as a satellite town of Hyderabad metropolis. They also suggested acquiring large tracts of land near Sannur village off Kalaburagi-Sedam Road abutting the Kalaburagi Airport for the development of new amenities for the purpose.
“We request to sanction and open Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) fourth office in Kalaburagi to strengthen the city in digital mode. There is a need to expand New Age Incubation Network (NAIN) Scheme now under way at PDA College of Engineering Kalaburagi to all post-graduate institutions in Kalaburagi. To encourage bio-technology students to acquire new skills needed, we request to start Kalaburagi-Tech Innovation Hub powered by IKP at Kalaburagi which will pave the way for promotion of start-ups and encourage entrepreneurs for innovation aimed at the use of technology to propagate solutions in multiple sectors,” the office-bearers said in the release.
Keeping in view the Union government’s promise of doubling farming income, they also requested for application of bio-technology in the agriculture sector in the district. Bio-technology-driven value addition to cultivation of pigeon pea, chickpea, millets such as bajra that are grown on a large scale in the district will help the government realise its target.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Pappa said that the development of Kalaburagi as a satellite town of Hyderabad by putting world-class infrastructure in place and offering impressive incentives will attract bigger companies to invest in the city.
“To develop Kalaburagi into a satellite town of Hyderabad, we need to develop technology-driven infrastructure and amenities in the first place. Kalaburagi already has air, rail and road connectivity. Its close proximity to Hyderabad can be exploited for attracting huge investments and earn good revenues from the private sector by developing it as a satellite town of the Hyderabad megacity,” Mr. Pappa said.
