Kirloskar Ferrous to invest Rs 3,000 crore in Karnataka: Minister M B Patil
Bengaluru (PTI): Kirloskar Ferrous Industries, a manufacturer of pig iron and grey iron castings, will invest Rs 3,000 crore in its Hiriyuru plant in Karnataka over the next three years, Industries Minister M B Patil said on Tuesday.
He said that several major firms, including Wipro PARI, Atlas Copco, Bel-Rise Industries, Finolex, and Fluid Controls Limited have shown interest in investing in the state.
"These companies, which are ready to bring in new investments, will be extended full support from the government in terms of land, infrastructure, and other facilities," Patil was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation from the Department of Industries and Commerce, the minister conducted a roadshow in Pune and held discussions with several prominent industrialists regarding investment opportunities in Karnataka.
Patil said that Kirloskar Ferrous already has a unit at Hiriyuru in Chitradurga district and plans to upgrade it.
"The company intends to start sponge pipe production and enhance the capacity of its steel manufacturing unit. It will also increase iron ore processing and modernise its foundry operations," he said.
Highlighting the company's contribution to the local economy, the minister noted that nearly 99 per cent of its employees are Kannadigas.
"This will further strengthen regional economic growth and promote inclusive development," he said. Kirloskar has also been contributing 2 per cent of its profits to its CSR fund for over 20 years, with a focus on improving healthcare facilities in rural areas, he added.
Noting that Wipro PARI has already set up an electronic copper laminate manufacturing unit in Karnataka, Patil said, construction began two days ago at the KIADB industrial area in Adinarayana Hosahalli, near Doddaballapura. The company also plans to establish a Smart Robotics Laboratory there.
Sweden-based Atlas Copco, known for sustainable industrial manufacturing, acquired Bengaluru-headquartered HHV Pumps in 2021, he said, the company now plans to expand its production operations in Karnataka.
Stating that Bel-Rise Industries, which has made a mark in the aerospace and defence sectors, already operates units at Narsapura in Kolara and Beluru Industrial Area in Dharwad, the minister said, the company recently acquired H-One Private Limited and has sought 25 acres of land in Mysuru to expand its operations. "This proposal will be reviewed."
Finolex, known for its PVC pipes and fittings, is expected to set up a unit in Karnataka, while Fluid Controls Limited has proposed an investment of Rs 90 crore and has requested five acres of land, which will be allotted soon, the minister said.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
