CII to focus on 4 areas for development

Bangalore: The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Karnataka region has emphasised four main areas for immediate government attention including the development of backward areas, focus on agriculture, attracting investment in industry and, improvement of urban and rural infrastructure.

S Viswanathan, Chairman, CII Karnataka and managing director, John Fowler-India said that for long CII has been emphasising the need for inclusive growth. It would be keen to work with the government as it would embrace development of the state's backward areas, besides giving a boost to its rural connectivity and agro-based industries.

The new government, he said, could emulate the success of Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal, where the Centre extended tax incentives to investments in backward areas. Consequently, these states witnessed a spurt in investments. Similar facilities and incentives could be considered for Karnataka's backward areas to give a fillip to their economic development.

In this context, he referred to CII's vision document for 2025 prepared by Rishikesha T Krishnan of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. The report highlights the growing demand for employment opportunities for the rural people, closer to their neighbourhood. This would go a long way in correcting the regional imbalance in addition to minimising the strain on the already groaning urban infrastructure.

The vision document details the urgency for Karnataka to take the lead in encouraging activities that reduce environment pollution. In addition, for exploiting the potential for economic growth, the document refers to the importance of providing world class infrastructure across Karnataka, through better connectivity, timely completion of projects and encouragement of the Public-Private Participation model.

The CII chairman hoped the government would give due importance to agriculture, an area in which Karnataka appeared to be lagging behind in recent times. In this connection, he said the recommendations of the state's Agriculture Policy 2006, needed to be considered seriously because of the far reaching suggestions made, more so, as agriculture development could provide jobs to people in the rural areas.

CII hopes that the new government would take a serious look at labour reforms with emphasis on changes in the Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act, Factories' Act and others. Further, the government needs to reform, with flexible hours for workers; make a provision for allowing strikes only when the move is supported by two-thirds of the workers in writing. The government should also consider contract labour in non-core areas.

In addition to these, CII believes Karnataka is not fully exploiting its tourism potential considering its rich heritage and the beaches, temples and heritage sites in the state. Accordingly, it was necessary for the new government to give a renewed focus on promoting the tourism industry, an exercise in which the CII would be happy to join hands.

Development activities cannot be initiated by the government alone and these have to have the support of the industry. Appropriately, the CII has taken the lead by joining hands with the ITIs so that the skills of its students could be upgraded; making them employable.

Further, CII is working on starting, ‘Nammahalli', a scheme under which companies would adopt a village each for holistic development. This should bring about a sea-change in the living standards of the people concerned in addition to boosting their potential for economic activity.

Other areas in which the CII is taking the lead relate to making the IT capital a media entertainment hub. With all the talent and skills available in the city, the CII Chairman said there was no reason why Bangalore could not become a media hub.

Viswanthan further urged the government to hasten some of the infrastructure projects in Mysore namely: Mysore Airport, doubling of railway track