Nirani says many firms have offered to invest in Karnataka

Industries Minister terms his visit to Dubai Expo successful; says job opportunities will increase

KARNATAKA BENGALURU 04/08/2021 : Newly inducted minister Murugesh Nirani, during the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan, in Bengaluru August 04, 2021. Photo MURALI KUMAR K / The Hindu

Describing his recent visit to ‘Dubai Expo 2020’ as very fruitful, Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani on Thursday said several reputed industrialists had come forward to make investments in the State and expressed hope that this would create more jobs.

At a press conference here, the Minister said the state delegation that visited Dubai had succeeded in convincing several companies about the thriving business ecosystem and investor-friendly atmosphere in Karnataka.

He said that LuLu group, Mubadala, KEF Holdings, Ducab, Electric Way, DP World, Aster Healthcare, Al Shamsi Travels, BLS International, United Park and Service, Export Bahrain, AIML, and Taghleef Industries were among those who had shown interest in investing in Karnataka.

UAE-based Gulf Islamic Investment (GII) group had decided to open its office in Bengaluru and it would invest ₹3,500 crore in the next three years, the Minister added. “Investors have been expressing interest to invest in our State due to world-class infrastructure facilities,” he said.

He said the State expected a huge flow of investments and creation of jobs when a global investors’ meet would be organised in Bengaluru in November 2022.

Explaining the investment opportunities in the space sector, Mr. Nirani said the ‘Space Week’ at Dubai Expo from October 15 to 21 helped Karnataka to project itself as an ideal destination for investments in aerospace, defence, and space sectors and the huge opportunities in the State. ISRO and several start-ups in the space sector took part in the symposium at India Pavilion.

Karnataka succeeded in projecting itself as an ideal destination for investments to more than 200 prominent global industrialists through its unique ‘Karnataka Now & Beyond’ programme, he claimed.

Warning against the misuse of KIADB land, Mr. Nirani said such land should be used only for industrial purposes and added that the government would cancel the allotment of land if it was used for other purposes. Notices had been issued to several people for misusing KIADB land, he said.