The Karnataka government is planning to develop Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi as major IT hubs, said Rural Development and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge in the Legislative Assembly.
For more details : https://sanjevani.com/hu-dha-belgaum-it-hub-under-consideration/
Replying to a question raised by BJP MLA Abhay Patil during the Question Hour, Kharge said a proposal has been submitted to establish an IT-BT Park and a Semiconductor Park on around 750 acres of land in Belagavi. He said the government will prepare a detailed blueprint for the project within the next two to three days after discussions with the Belagavi Chamber of Commerce and BETCA (Belagavi Technology Companies Association).
The minister stated that the government also aims to transform Belagavi into a talent hub by promoting technology and innovation in the region. He noted that the city has strong potential for equipment manufacturing, which is why Belagavi has been included under the LEAP (Local Economy Accelerator Program) scheme.
Kharge said there are also opportunities to establish production units and Government Tool Room and Training Centre (GTTC) facilities in Belagavi to support industrial and technological growth.
He further informed the Assembly that Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses have been introduced at IIT Dharwad, and a quantum technology unit has also been set up in Dharwad, strengthening the region’s technology ecosystem.
In addition, the government is planning to establish a Global Technology Centre in Belagavi in collaboration with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM). For this purpose, steps are being taken to transfer the Kalamandir building in Tilakwadi to the IT department.
However, Kharge pointed out that the 750 acres of land identified for the IT and Semiconductor parks was originally allocated to the Indian Army before Independence. The state government has requested the Defence Ministry to return the land, but the transfer is still pending.
He said that in 2021, the then IT-BT Minister had discussed the matter with the Union Defence Minister, and both the then Chief Minister and Chief Secretary had also written letters requesting the land transfer. Despite these efforts, the land has not yet been handed over to the state government.
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