Karnataka stands 3rd in country with Rs 54,427 cr FDI during 2023-24: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, Aug 15: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said Karnataka stands third in the country by drawing Rs 54,427 crore Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during 2023-24.
He said the state government has taken up multidimensional programmes in the areas of industry, agriculture, infrastructure development, and education to accelerate economic growth, besides the implementation of welfare programmes.
The Chief Minister was delivering his address on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, after hoisting the national flag at the Manekshaw Parade Ground here.
He noted that MoUs (memorandum of understanding) have been signed with 13 industries, which will bring in investments worth Rs 42,915 crore and is expected to create around 22,600 jobs.
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The government has approved 591 investment projects through single window committees during 2023-24, he said adding this will result in a flow of Rs 84,232 crore investment and employment generation for 1,56,986 people. "During 2023-24, our state stood first in exports, with a value of USD 1,66,545 Million. The growth is 5.20 per cent compared to previous year."
On the Global Investors’ Meet- Invest Karnataka 2025 to be held in 2025, Siddaramaiah said preparations are in full swing and investors are invited by holding roadshows across the country and the world.
The state government has drafted the Karnataka Clean Mobility Policy 2024-29 aimed at attracting Rs. 50,000 crore investments within the clean mobility vehicle sector and creating approximately one lakh new jobs, he said. The policy is now in its final stage of approval.
In his speech, the Chief Minister further said a 'Skill Advisory Committee' has been established to provide skill training that matches the demand in the IT and BT sectors. "The committee has submitted a detailed plan for courses aligned with industry needs, and steps will be taken to impart these skills."
Good infrastructure and transportation connectivity are accelerators for economic growth, he said, in this regard, 1,917 KM of state highways, 2,502 KM of district main roads, and 150 bridges will be constructed in the current year.
Pointing to the government's "Brand Bengaluru" initiative, the CM said it is being implemented to transform the state capital into a world-class city. It is intended to take up long-term infrastructure development plans for the city through innovative Integrated Financial model with at least Rs 48,686 crore.
"Our government has made a strong resolve to implement the Peripheral Ring Road project in an effort to reduce traffic congestion (in Bengaluru)."
To expedite the implementation of the state's irrigation projects, Siddaramaiah said a larger budget allocation has been made this time. Under the Yettinahole Project, Rs 855.02 crore has been spent so far this year.
Regarding floods due to monsoon showers in parts of the state, Siddaramaiah said he has personally visited the flood-hit districts and Ministers have also managed the situation by camping in district headquarters. "I have directed officials to provide relief for the loss of human lives, livestock and damaged houses. It has been decided to allocate houses along with Rs. 1.2 lakh compensation for those lost houses."
Stressing that maintaining a balance between development and the environment is essential, he said, in this regard, 1,351 villages in 250 Gram Panchayats located in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Hassan, within the Western Ghats, have been identified by Geological Survey of India, as prone to landslides.
To prevent landslides in these areas, mitigation measures will be undertaken at a cost of Rs 100 crores in collaboration with the Geological Survey of India and the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM).
On human-wildlife conflict, the CM said, to address this effectively, the government has initiated the construction of 120 km of railway barricades since it came to power.
"Additionally, 7 elephant task forces and 2 leopard task forces have been established. Recently, an international conference on preventing human-elephant conflicts was successfully held in Bengaluru," he said.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
