K'taka industries Min. M.B. Patil announces plans to establish zone-wise industrial parks
Bengaluru: In a significant move to boost Karnataka’s industrial growth, the state government is planning to develop zone-wise industrial parks across different regions. Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil announced this during a press conference on Saturday.
Briefing the media ahead of the ‘Invest Karnataka – Global Investors' Summit,’ he said that a modern pharma park would be set up in Srinivaspura, Kolar district, a solar cell park in Vijayapura, and an agro park focused on agricultural products.
Patil outlined additional projects, including a drone park in Chitradurga, a deep-tech park in Jangamakote named after Sir M. Visvesvaraya, and a mega logistics park in Hanumanthapura, near Dabaspet. Furthermore, EV clusters will be developed in Chikkaballapura and Dharwad.
He also said that the upcoming Invest Karnataka conference is expected to attract investments of over ₹10 lakh crore. A 200-acre startup park near Hubballi airport will support over 400 startups, while a 1,200-acre solar cell and agro-tech park will be developed in Tidagundi, Vijayapura. The event will focus on future manufacturing, transportation, and eco-friendly energy sectors, with over 60 startups showcasing advanced technologies, including carbon nanotubes, autonomous systems, UAVs, and robotics.
“With 19 countries participating, 10 nations will specifically discuss key issues such as sustainable economic growth, Karnataka’s role in the global supply chain, renewable energy, and healthcare,” he added.
He further announced that, for the first time, 14 companies making major contributions to Karnataka’s economy and industrial growth will be recognized at the Global Investors Conference. The awards will honor firms from sectors such as aerospace, defense, auto/EV, and life sciences. Special recognition will be given to companies that have made large-scale investments and prioritized global R&D.
Additionally, he said that 35 small and medium industries, top-performing women entrepreneurs at the district level, and enterprises excelling in their sectors will be honored on February 13. Under the ‘Venturise’ initiative, nine cash prizes worth a total of $300,000 will be awarded, with the top three winners receiving $50,000, $30,000, and $20,000, respectively.
He also revealed that the Global Investors’ Summit will be inaugurated by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on February 11 at 4 PM at Bangalore Palace. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will preside over the event in the presence of Governor Thawarchand Gehlot. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will also participate.
“During the event, a single-window portal will be launched to speed up approvals for industrial projects under the 2025-30 industrial policy. The summit will be attended by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, H.D. Kumaraswamy, V. Somanna, Shobha Karandlaje, Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Ashwini Vaishnaw. Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, will be present at the closing ceremony,” he said.
The Minister also said that the summit will witness agreements with domestic and international universities under the ambitious Knowledge, Wellbeing, and Innovation City (KWIN) project.
Minister Patil stated that he would be engaging with Montek Singh Ahluwalia on economic growth, Volvo Group CEO Martin Lundstedt, and startup leaders like Sandeep Deshmukh and Chanakya Hriday on logistics innovations. Discussions with Zerodha founder Nikhil Kamath and entrepreneurs Parth Jindal and Suzanna Muthoot are also scheduled.
He also revealed that this year’s summit features twice as many speakers as the previous edition. Notable industry leaders include Google X founder Sebastian Thrun, Lam Research executive Patrick Lord, General Atomics CEO Vivek Lal, and TVS Motors MD Sudarshan Venu. Additionally, the event will host top executives such as Boeing’s Rob Boyd, Nothing Company’s Akis Evangelides, and former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.
The press conference was also attended by Industries Department Principal Secretary Selvakumar, Commissioner Gunjan Krishna, and KIADB CEO Dr. Mahesh.
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Man thrown 50 ft into air as powerful storm lashes UP's Bareilly
Bareilly (PTI): In a shocking incident, a man was flung nearly 50 ft into the air along with a tin roof and thrown into a field during a powerful storm in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, where the adverse weather claimed at least four lives.
The man in the video, Nanhe Mian of Bamiyana village, suffered multiple injuries in the incident that occurred on Wednesday.
In a video of the incident doing the rounds on social media, the man is seen being launched into the air while he is holding onto the tin roof. He then lets go, does a somersault in the air and lands in the adjacent field.
Initially, some social media users expressed disbelief over the video and suspected that it was generated using artificial intelligence. But for Nanhe, an e-rickshaw driver, it is all too real.
Nanhe, around 50 years old, said on Thursday that he had gone to a wedding hall to collect some items when the storm intensified.
"The wind was so strong that the tin shed started making loud noises. I thought if I did not hold onto it, it would be blown away in the storm. So, I immediately grabbed a rope tied to the shed," he said.
"Then a very strong gust came and lifted both the shed and me into the air. I was carried nearly 50 ft into the air before the storm weakened and I fell to the ground," he said.
Nanhe, who lives with his wife and their five children, said he suffered injuries on his head, back, arms and legs. These include a fractured arm and leg.
Bareilly Police said in a statement that Nahne was standing inside the wedding hall in Bamiyana when strong winds and rain tore the tin roof of the structure.
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, at least 89 people were killed and around 50 injured in storm and rain-related incidents across the state on Wednesday.
Several animals were also killed and houses and shops were damaged in many places.
In Bareilly, four people were killed between 8.30 am and 11.30 pm on Wednesday, nine animals perished and around 30 houses suffered heavy damage, officials said.
Meet Nanhe Miyan of Bareilly, UP.
— Treeni (@treeni) May 13, 2026
During a severe storm at a wedding venue, he was lifted into the air along with a tin shed he was holding onto.
He flew high before crashing to the ground, breaking both arms and legs. Now hospitalised.pic.twitter.com/D616Z5X23L
