Bengaluru, Oct 22: The Karnataka government on Saturday approved 11 projects worth over Rs 1.74 lakh crore, mostly in the clean energy sector.

The 60th meeting of the State High-Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC), headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, approved 11 projects with a total investment of Rs 1,74,381.44 crore.

The projects are expected to create employment for 41,448 people, an official release said.

Among the 11 projects that got approval, eight are new and three are additional projects, it said.

The investment projects are expected to further push industrial growth and generate direct and indirect employment opportunities in Karnataka.

"Green energy is the future. In this regard, the proposals for green hydrogen and ethanol production companies in the state have been approved in the meeting. Karnataka's contribution to the share of the green hydrogen export will be high in the country and it will start in 2026," Bommai said.

Stating that in order to encourage green hydrogen production, proposals from Acme CleanTech Solutions Pvt. Ltd, JSW Green Hydrogen Ltd. Avada Ventures Pvt. Ltd and Renew E-Fuels private, have been approved, he said: "We are happy that the state has received such a huge investment ahead of Global Investors Meet. This has indeed raised our expectations."

State Industries Minister Murugesh R Nirani said Karnataka is at the forefront in the renewable energy sector, and the state government is formulating a green hydrogen policy.

"Karnataka is the third largest sugarcane growing state in the country and also is the highest producer of ethanol. We are glad that the green energy sector investment proposals have been approved in today's meeting," he added.

The proposals cleared include: ACME Cleantech Solutions Private Limited, Haryana - Rs 51,865 crore; Avaada Ventures Pvt Ltd, Mumbai - Rs 45,000 crore; JSW GREEN HYDROGEN LIMITED, Ballari - Rs 40,148 crore; ReNew E-Fuels Private Limited, Gurgaon - Rs 20,000 crore; Atria Power Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru - Rs 9,454 crore; Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Ltd, Koppal - Rs 3,025 crore; JSW NEO ENERGY LIMITED, Mumbai - Rs 2,579 crore; and Continental Automotive Components (India) Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru- Rs 920 crore.

Project proposals with additional investments are: Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited, Ramanagara - Rs 511 crore; G M Sugar and Energy Ltd., Bangalore - Rs 49.44 crore; and Resources Pellets Concentrates Pvt. Ltd., Bellary Rs 830 crore.

Senior Ministers and officials were present at the SHLCC meeting.

On Friday evening, the State-Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) headed by Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani had cleared 35 investment proposals that would generate 4,904 jobs with a total investment of Rs 1,747.37 crore.

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Washington (PTI): There are not too many more vibrant democracies in the world than India, the White House has said, applauding the people of India for exercising their right to vote.

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby was responding to a question on the ongoing Indian elections in which more than 969 million people are exercising their right to franchise at one million polling stations to elect 545 Members of Parliament from thousands of candidates representing as many as 2,660 registered political parties.

The voting will conclude on June 1. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on June 4.

“Not too many more vibrant democracies in the world than India. And we applaud the Indian people for exercising, you know, their ability to vote, and to have a voice in their future government. And we wish them well throughout the process, of course,” Kirby told reporters at a news conference here.

Responding to another question, Kirby said the India-US relationship has strengthened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular during the last three years of the Biden administration.

“Our relationship with India is extremely close and getting closer,” he said.

“You saw it on a State Visit (last June). We launched all kinds of new initiatives, working on critical emerging technologies together, and bolstering and expanding the relevance of the Indo-Pacific quad, of course, which India is a part of. And then, just the people-to-people exchanges, and the military that we share with India,” Kirby said.

It's a very vibrant, very active partnership, he said.

"We are grateful for Prime Minister Modi's leadership,” said the senior White House official.

When asked if President Joe Biden believes that India and Japan are xenophobic countries, he replied in the negative and said the president was making a broader point.

“I mean, the president was making a broader point here about the vibrancy of our own democracy, here in the United States, and how inclusive and participatory it is,” Kirby said.

Biden earlier this month had called Japan and India "xenophobic", grouping them with Russia and China as countries that "don't want immigrants".