Bengaluru, March 11 (IANS). Karnataka government minister Priyank Kharge said in the Assembly on Wednesday that the state’s IT exports could cross Rs 5.50 lakh crore this year.
Answering the question of BJP MLA Vedvyas Kamat, Priyank Kharge said, “Talking about the prospects of IT-BT in Karnataka, our IT-BT export was Rs 3.55 lakh crore in 2022-23. It increased to Rs 4.09 lakh crore in 2023-24 and last year it increased to Rs 4.58 lakh crore in 2024-25. This year The closing date is March 31. I am 100 percent confident that we will cross Rs 5.50 lakh crore this year.”
“Out of this Rs 5.50 lakh crore, about Rs 3,000 crore of IT exports come from Mysuru city, while Mangaluru and the coastal region contribute about Rs 3,500 crore. Belagavi and Hubli together account for between Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 2,500 crore of IT exports. The rest comes from Bengaluru city,” he said.
Kharge also clarified that he never said that there are no possibilities in Mangaluru. He said, “There is immense potential in this sector. If local leaders create a conducive environment, we can boost the local economy. I want to bring to the notice of the MLA that the GDP of Bengaluru district is around 39.9 per cent, i.e. around 40 per cent. Next is Mangaluru with 5.4 per cent and third is 3.4 per cent. The difference can be clearly seen.”
He said, “Where is 40 percent and where is 5.4 percent? I honestly say that if a suitable environment is created for capital investment in that sector, it can achieve about three percent growth in the next three years. That is what I said and I stand by my words.”
The Mangaluru region is often considered communally sensitive and has seen incidents of communal clashes, protests and revenge killings in the past. Kharge has often criticized communal forces and the BJP on such issues.
“Ensuring development is not just your responsibility, it is my responsibility too,” he said.
Kharge said, “Across the state, we have signed 380 MoUs with IT and related companies. In the coastal region, we are taking Manipal, Udupi and Mangaluru as a cluster and bringing them under the Economic Accelerator Programme. A technology convention is being organized from our end and a seed fund of Rs 25 crore has been released under the Beyond Bengaluru Cluster initiative. Under the Shine Karnataka Acceleration Programme, “Alliances have been formed through the program and support is being provided to startups.”
Kharge said that there has also been a demand to simplify the norms for setting up IT parks in the coastal region. He said, “Within a week, the norms will be simplified as per the demand of local MLAs. We are also trying to bring an ocean farming policy. Data centers are also being given priority. This cluster is important not only for the state but also for the country. There is a lot of potential, but we have to create a conducive environment.”
BJP’s Kamat said that despite the challenges, the coastal region is second only to Bengaluru in terms of development. He asked the minister to clarify the plans for low GDP districts like Kalaburagi.
Let us tell you that Priyank Kharge himself comes from Kalaburagi, which is considered one of the most backward districts of the state.
In response, Kharge said that development depends on geographical and demographic advantages.
He said, “The advantages that coastal Karnataka has, are not available in the Kalyana Karnataka region. The advantages that we have, you do not have. You have the sea, which gives the possibility of mariculture, while we grow tur dal. In terms of GDP contribution, Kalaburagi contributes 1.9 per cent. You will be surprised to know that Bengaluru Rural also contributes 1.9 per cent to the GDP. We are looking at ways to accelerate development in these areas. State Development It is not limited to Mangaluru or Bengaluru only. Wherever there is potential in the state, we are intervening to improve the GDP.”
–IANS
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