IBM to set up office in Hubli

Source: The Hindu

The city, which is looking forward to inviting new Information Technology companies to improve the employment opportunities for software professional from this part of the country, has a good news in the form of software giant IBM, deciding to open an office in Vijayawada too during current calendar year. According to information the IBM will open 13 new branches in Kanpur, Patna, Ranchi, Nasik, Goa, Mysore, Vadodara, Hubli, Udaipur, Rajkot, Trichy, Vijayawada and Jammu, as part of their geographic expansion initiative of having their presence in 47 cities across India and South Asia.

When contacted the IBM officials did not confirm the news, but also did not deny. In 2011, they had launched 12 new branches. at Coimbatore, Indore, Guwahati, Raipur, Dehradun, Visakhapatnam, Trivandrum, Jamshedpur, Ludhiana, Surat, Nagpur and Mangalore. This will not only enhance IBM's client and partner relationships, but also improve their ability to deliver software solutions, technologies and services close to the client's location.

100-crore revamp for six heritage cities - Gulbarga, Bidar, Bijapur & kittur among them

Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/100-crore-revamp-for-six-heritage-cities/211143.html

BANGALORE: The state government will spend Rs100 crore over the next three years to develop six cities that have been identified as important from the heritage point of view.Kannada and Culture Minister Govind Karjol disclosed this on Wednesday. The cities where basic infrastructure will be developed are Gulbarga, Bidar, Srirangapatna, Bijapur, Kittur and Mysore.Karjol said the blueprint and action plan to develop the cities are ready. The cities would get drinking water facilities, approach roads, interior roads, toilets, parking lots, hotels and rest houses of international standards. The work would start in the beginning of financial year 2011. The gazetteer directorate had undertaken the task of computerising more than five lakh historically important documents, he said, adding that the documents include Tipu Sultan’s correspondence with the British. The project would cost `80 lakh. He said Hampi Development Authority's rules and guidelines will be framed in the next Assembly session.

Karnataka to boost electronic hardware growth - Hardware parks in Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore and Hubli

Bangalore: As India's premier IT destination, Karnataka is pitching for rapid growth of the electronic hardware industry to replicate its success in the software sector achieved over the last decade.

"We will soon have a new electronic hardware policy to attract investments in the manufacturing of electronic products, consumer durables and components for the ICT industry," state IT Minister K. Subramanya Naidu said at Asia's primer IT event here Wednesday.

To woo investors in the emerging IT hardware sector, the state government will set up four electronic hardware parks near Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore and Hubli across the state and offer a slew of incentives for prospective investors.

"We have identified about 1,000 acres at each of the four cities for setting up the hardware parks to create the ecosystem required for setting up electronic manufacturing units, start-ups and even incubators," Naidu told about 800 delegates participating in the 12th edition of Bangalore IT.biz 2009 trade show.

Noting that about 90 percent of the electronic goods sold worldwide are manufactured in China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, Naidu lamented that India remained far behind with a share of mere 1.5 percent of the global market.

"Though India has emerged as a global software major, the hardware sector has not kept pace with the growth of the software sector. There is no dearth of talent or resources to repeat the success achieved in software in hardware," Naidu asserted.

In spite of consumption of electronic goods and consumer durables growing exponentially, product manufacturing has not scaled up to bridge the demand-supply gap.

"Over the last decade, the software sector in the state has Bangalore on the world map and accounted for about 34 percent of India's total IT exports the last fiscal, which grew to Rs.75,000 crore from Rs.60,000 crore in fiscal 2008-09," he said.

"With a resilient domestic market and huge potential for exports, the hardware industry should do the same to leverage the synergies between the two sectors."

The state government is also planning to set up a huge IT investment region near the Bangalore international airport on the outskirts of the city with central government support for attracting global investments in the ICT sector.

In his address on the occasion, Wipro chairman Azim Premji called upon the central and state governments to appoint chief information officers for the increasing use of ICT in administration, delivery of services and to interface with the citizens.

"The state governments should make education, innovation and ICT as a part of their economic policy agenda. Instead of each state doing its own projects for e-governance and citizen services, they should pool their resources to develop IT products and services that can be shared and replicated instead of duplicating them," Premji said.

CM proposes six more universities - Law university in Hubli

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_cm-proposes-six-more-universities_1265023
Bangalore: In a bid to accommodate the increasing rush of students to Karnataka and Bangalore for higher education and to attain high standards in education, chief minister BS Yedyurappa on Sunday said that six new universities -- Sankrit and Veda university in Bangalore, music and fine arts university in Mysore, agriculture and horticulture university in Raichur, law university in Hubli and new Davangere university in Davangere -- would be set up across the state, stressing on unconventional modes of education. The government is also planning to set up an ayurvedic and a polytechnic university soon.

He was speaking to the media after inaugurating the the Prajnana, the activity centre of Vidyarthi Shikskana Seva Trust in Nagarbhavi. "To better the education system and to make it affordable to all, the state will reduce the interest rate to six per cent on education loans up to Rs5 lakh,'' he said adding that this would attract more students to Karnataka.

The education of Karnataka is reaching new heights, said National Institute of Advanced Studies director and Rajya Sabha member Dr K Kasturirangan. He said that the Karnataka Education Portal was laudable. Forty institutions and over 6.5 lakh students have visited the portal till date, while over 10,000 students have interacted through it.

Karnataka State likely to clear Rs 5,000 cr investment

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/state-likely-to-clear-rs-5000-cr-investment/359370/

Karnataka government is likely to clear various projects with an investment of close to Rs 5,000 crore shortly. Raj Kumar Khatri, commissioner for industrial development and director, department of industries and commerce said that since January they have received 25 major industrial investment proposals that are expected to be cleared by the high level committee (HLC) next month. HLC clears major investment projects involving an investment of above Rs 50 crore.

Among other major investment projects that are waiting for approval by the state government include a proposal from Sri Renuka Sugars Limited to expand sugar crushing capacity from 5,000 tonnes crushed per day (TCD) to 10,000 TCD at two of their units at Burlahatti in Athani taluk in Belgaum district and Afzalpur in Bijapur district at a combined investment of Rs 250 crore, Khatri told Business Standard. He said the government has also received an application from Bosch Limited to set up a new manufacturing facility for automotive components at an investment of Rs 400 crore. The company intends to set up a new unit near Toyota Kirloskar’s car plant at Bidadi.

The department has also received an application from Premium Farmfresh, a Lalit Suri Group company to set up a terminal market chain for fresh fruits and vegetables at an investment of Rs 400 crore.

The company intends to set up modern marketing chain in places like Belgaum, Hassan, Hoskote and Mysore.

In addition to these, two US-based non-resident Indians (NRIs) have shown interest to set up thermal power projects in Karnataka involving a combined investment of Rs 2,500 crore for generating a total of around 770 MW. The two companies are planning to set up set up thermal power projects in Bijapur district, a senior government official said.

Khatri said the state government is planning to organise the global investors meet in Bangalore in December this year. The meet, which was earlier scheduled to be held in January this year, had to be postponed due to economic slowdown. The government intends to keep ready a land bank of around 160,000 acres across the state before the investors meet. Currently, it has completed the process for acquisition of around 35,000 acres.

Karnataka plans to develop 250 toll roads

Source: http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=125794

BANGALORE, May 22, 2009: Karnataka Government on Friday decided to develop more than 250 state highways and major district roads with private participation and levy toll on road users.

The State Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa fixed toll rates for the four-lane and two-lane roads for various category of motor vehicles.

Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje told reporters here that the basic toll rate per kilometre on a four-lane road for cars, jeeps, light motor vehicles, vans would be 65 paise and on two-lane roads it would be fifty paise.

Mini-buses and mini goods vehicles will have to pay Rs 1.05 per km for using four-lane road and 75 paise for two-lane. The toll would be Rs 2.20 for buses and trucks on four-lane road and Re 1.50 on two-lane road, she said adding that heavy construction machinery vehicles would be charged Rs 3.45 per km on four-lane road and Rs 2.25 on two-lane roads. Toll will be collected on roads where more than 10,000 vehicles ply, she said.

However, toll will not be collected on existing roads, Karandlaje said.
At an investor’s meet held in January 28, 2009, the Government had decided to develop a Core Road Network (CRN) of 66,000 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,77,000 crore under the public-private partnership module in the next six years (2009-15).

In the first phase, it was decided to upgrade 10,000 km of State highways and major district roads (MDRs) apart from 12,600 km of village roads in the first phase. The estimated cost for development of 10,000 km of State highways and MDRs is Rs. 31,400 crore. About 40,000 km of roads will be developed in the second phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.08 lakh crore and 16,000 km in the third phase with an investment of Rs. 36,800 crore.

Officials said the 66,000-km CRN would connect Bangalore with other IT hubs such as Mysore, Hassan, Davangere, Hubli, Dharwad, and Mangalore. The objective of the CRN was to promote industrial and urban development and integrate economically backward and remote areas.
All these roads would be toll roads, and toll booths would be established every 50 km. The toll would be based on the rate fixed by the National Highways Authority of India, he said.

Agricultural non-transport vehicles, two and three-wheelers and local short-distance vehicles used only for passenger transport would be exempted from payment of toll. Service roads would be provided for local traffic, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said at present the State had a road network of nearly 2.09 lakh km: 3,978 km of national highways, 20,738 km of State highways, 37,973 km of district roads and 1,47,212 km of village roads.

The CRN would be an all-weather, smooth road network with a minimum two-lane carriageway and feeder roads and four to six lanes near urban settlements.

The roads would be developed under various PPP models such as build operate, transfer; design, build, operate, transfer; and viability gap funding. The developer would be given one acre of land for every five km of road developed for business activities. Land acquisition and development would be undertaken by private entrepreneurs.

A State-level task force headed by the Chief Minister had been constituted to monitor the progress of roads, and committees headed by the deputy commissioners had been constituted for fixation of compensation rates for land acquired for roads.

Farmers to get credit at 3 pc from nationalised banks

BANGALORE: The Karnataka government on Friday decided to ensure credit to small and marginal farmers at three per cent interest rate through nationalised banks, but with a loan cap of Rs 50,000.

The state Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa approved the extension of the subsidised interest rate scheme for farm credit to nationalised banks with effect from April 1 last and decided to earmark Rs 250 crore towards reimbursement of the difference interest amount to banks. The Government has decided to disburse crop loans at three per cent rate of interest in the State budget for 2009-10.

Addressing presspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje said that it has been estimated that about six to seven lakh farmers avail credit from nationalised banks in the state.

About 13 lakh farmers in the state who get credit from cooperative institutions already enjoy the low interest rate credit, she said.

Farmers’ loans up to Rs 50,000 would be eligible for the low interest rate. Continuing its populist schemes, the government decided to extend the scheme of awarding cash incentives to meritorious higher secondary boy students hailing from SC and ST communities, a benefit already given to their girl counterparts to enable them continue higher studies.

The Centre had instructed nationalised banks to grant crop loans at the interest rate of seven per cent. The State Government would reimburse to banks the difference of the amount which would be Rs. 1000 crore in 2009-10.The cooperative institutions would disburse crop loans at rate of interest of three per cent to small and marginal farmers. The cooperatives had disbursed Rs. 3,290.3 crore in 2008-09 for 13,17,983 farmers in the State. Cooperatives are expected to disburse Rs. 3,500 crore loans to farmers in 2009-10.

Cooperation Minister Laxman Savadi said elections to various cooperative bodies, including Karnataka Milk Federation, would be held between May 23 to July 27 in different phases.

Karnataka clears 12 mega projects (Bangalore, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Raichur, Dakshina Kannada and Mysore)

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/004200811192232.htm

BANGALORE: The State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC) on Wednesday cleared 12 investment proposals to the tune of Rs. 7,080 crore, which have potential to create 82,393 new jobs. This included a proposal by the State-owned Karnataka Power Corporation Limited to set up two thermal generating units with a capacity of 600 MW each at Chicksagur (Yermarus) in Raichur district, located close to the Raichur Thermal Power Station.

The KPCL had requested the Government to allot an additional 234 acres of land to commence the work on the first unit.

The Government on Wednesday agreed to the request. The work on the project would commence soon after getting the various clearances and the first unit is expected to be ready for generation in about four years.

The high-level committee also cleared a proposal by the HAL to set up an aircraft and engine overhaul unit near the Bengaluru International Airport at a cost of Rs. 2,095 crore.

Briefing presspersons after the SHLCC meeting, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa noted that this unit would create 285 more jobs.

The other proposals which got clearance are a cement manufacturing expansion unit in Bagalkot to be set up at a cost of Rs. 520 crore by Nirani Cements (700 new jobs); an energy generation project by N.K. Utilities to be set up in Bagalkot at a cost of Rs. 1,740 crore (500 new jobs); and two separate automobile industries to be set up by Stanzen Toyotetsu and JBM Auto in Ramanagara at a cost of Rs. 173 crore and Rs. 81.95 crore respectively. Together, they will create 849 new jobs.

The high-level committee also cleared a proposal for setting up an IT and ITES Park in Bangalore Urban district by D.M. Estate at a cost of Rs. 336.28 crore, which would create 13,900 new jobs.

The other clearances related to setting up a Rs. 302-crore multi-utility commercial and tourism complex in Dakshina Kannada district by Jaiprakash Group (11,100 new jobs); establishment of a rubber park in Mysore at a cost of Rs. 137 crore by Rubber Marketing (4,500 new jobs); Rs. 90-crore co-generation project to be set up by Satish Sugars Limited in Belgaum (177 new jobs); a Rs. 129.50-crore plastic industry to be set up in Bangalore Urban district by Plastic Udyog Nagar (5,000 new jobs); and a Rs. 75.65-crore sugar factory to be set up in Belgaum by Basaveshwara Group (282 new jobs)

Mr. Yeddyurappa said the main feature of Wednesday’s clearance was that the investment proposals were spread out in different districts of the State unlike the earlier times when they used to be concentrated in Bangalore.

Sunil Mantri unveils Karnataka plans

Source: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Sunil-Mantri-unveils-Karnataka-plans/368008/

Mumbai-based real estate major Sunil Mantri Realty Ltd (SMRL) would promote projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore across the country in the next eight years, a top official of the company said.

Launching a residential project christened 'Mantri Royale' in Bangalore, Sunil Mantri, chairman of SMRL, said the projects would be part-funded through a mix of internal accruals and debt.

SMRL is betting big on Karnataka and Tier II and Tier III cities. He said the projects with an overall outlay of Rs 2,500 crore would be promoted in Karnataka in the next five years. The company's equity in Karantaka projects would be around Rs 500 crore and another Rs 500 crore will be a debt fund while the remaining funds would come from customer advances.

He said the company would launch two residential projects in 2008 and six mega township projects each with minimum of 25 acres in 2009 in Bangalore. SMRL has earmarked Rs 350 - Rs 400 crore for these projects, he added. In addition a township project covering 200 acres would be developed in Belgaum, a Tier II city in Karnataka. Other Tier II cities in Karnataka under the company's scrutiny are Mysore, Bellary and Hubli, he added. Currently, SMRL has presence in 15 cities and will spread across to another 25 cities by 2012. He also said that budget houses in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh would also be promoted in the coming years.

Karnataka to introduce rural IT policy

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=335173

In first such initiative by any state government in the country, the government of Karnataka is in the preparatory phase of bringing out a ‘Rural IT policy’ to attract IT investment to the tier-II and tier-III cities in the state.

While the basic framework of the proposed policy has already been laid, the government is involving the IT industry in seeking their suggestions and guidance in finalising the incentives to be given to IT companies in the proposed policy.

“We are in the process of coming up with a rural IT policy to specify the incentives for the industry to go to the tier-II and tier-III cities. The policy will come as a boost for the company in setting up operations in eight cities in the state, which have been identified by Nasscom as emerging IT destinations in the country,” Karnataka IT secretary Ashok Kumar Manoli said.

He said the state is ensuring to involve the IT industry in devising the policy, and the first phase of discussion has already been over.

“We are also talking to industry body Nasscom to take their suggestions,” the IT secretary said adding, this is extremely important for the IT sector to go to tier-II, tier-III cities when the whole industry is talking about cost reduction to remain competitive. The draft policy is expected to be ready in the next couple of months.

Earlier, Karnataka IT Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu had sought the assistance of Infosys Technologies’ chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy in developing the rural IT policy.

Even though Karnataka government has been promoting cities like Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, the large chunk of the IT exports from the state is coming from state capital Bangalore, which houses most of the global and Indian top-tier IT firms.

However, the last two years have seen the IT exports from some of the emerging cities including Mysore and Hubli are growing over 90 per cent year on year.

Among the cities other than Bangalore which is contributing the state’s IT exports, Mysore tops the list followed by Mangalore.

The state also expects that the SEZs once become operational will work as a catalyst for the IT firms in setting up shop in smaller cities. Of the 41 SEZs that have been formally approved in the state with a proposed investment of Rs 20,000 crore, 30 will be in the IT and ITeS space.

Eighteen of the proposed IT SEZs will be in cities other than Bangalore, according to the state IT department.

Meanwhile, a huge IT park called ‘Aryabhatta Tech Park’ has been inaugurated in Hubli which is expected to be a big boost for companies planning to go to the city.

Tech park has been built up on an area of 56 acres, in public private partnership basis.

Karnataka clears industrial projects worth over Rs 49,000 cr

Sorce: http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=71417

Bangalore March 18, 2008: Karnataka's High Level Clearance Committee today approved 28 proposals to set up new industries involving an investment of Rs 49,054.89 crore.
The areas of investment are in IT, cement, steel, education and electronics, a release by the Governor's Secretariat said.

The industrial units after commissioning would generate employment to 4.19 lakh people, the release said.

The investments are being made in tier II cities, including Hiriyur, Gulbarga, Mysore, Mangalore, Muddebihal, Gamanagatti, Hospet, Hassan, Afzalpur, Yadgir, Kunigal, Koppal, Sandur, Haveri in addition to some in Bangalore rural district.

The projects included an airport-based multi-product special economic zone at an investment of Rs 3,384.65 crore to be established by the Bangalore International Airport Ltd, which has built the new airport in Devanahally here.

Limitless Properties Ltd has got the approval for setting up a multi-product SEZ in Hiriyur in Chitradurga district at an investment of Rs 4,164.40 crore.

R M Steels Ltd will be setting up a Rs 15,700 crore integrated steel plant in Koppal while XINDIA Steels a similar plant in the same district with an investment of Rs 8,735 crore, the release said.

Bangalore-One, Hubli-One

Dear All,

Here is good news for all the people residing in Bangalore.

Bangalore one, a great initiative from the Karnataka Govt to provide a platform for payment of bills [telecom, power, water] and to help people in there day to day activities. A unique and yet very successful effort to bridge every other provider and to have a basic platform to pay any bills, to get more information about passport and to even book railway, air tickets.

Bangalore One has centers spread across Bangalore, and they are planning to setup kiosks in 21 other localities of Bangalore, It has well maintained Web portal @ http://bangaloreone.gov.in

Govt.Services for Citizens

Services:
BMP
RTO
BSNL
Spice
Airtel
BWSSB
CellOne
BESCOM
Reliance Infocom
Tata Tele Services
Stamp and Registration

Govt.Services to Business

Services:
BMTC
Police
Passport
Train Booking
Flight Booking
Status of Passport
Services on Internet
ING Vysya Life Insurance
Services at all B1 Centers
Bangalore Current Weather
Western Union Money Transfer

Business to Citizens

Information :
Top Sites
Help Line
Yellow Pages
All Govt. Sites
Indian Railway
Learn Kannada
Dept. of Labour
PASSPORT Forms
Top 10 Search Engines
Useful Phone Numbers
Home Department Downloadable Free Forms

Hubli-One centre is ready for commissioning, while similar centres in Mysore, Gulburga, and Mangalore have also been planned.

Computer skills test planned for mid-March

BANGALORE: The Computer Skills Proficiency Test (CSPT), which was introduced by the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology, Science and Technology, will be held on March 14 and 15 in six test centres across the State.

Further plans and the name of patrons it has found in IT and software majors in the State will be disclosed next week, Vidyashankar M.N., Secretary, Department of IT, BT and Science and Technology, told The Hindu. More than a dozen IT majors have evinced interest in this programme and have come forward to fund the expenses.

“Almost all Fortune 500 companies in the State have evinced interest which is a huge deal for the programme,” he said. According to sources, out of 29 districts in the State, sponsors have agreed to fund candidates from a set of districts and the certificates issued to candidates will carry a mark of recognition from the IT giants. The programme, which was introduced in October 2007 and was scheduled to take off in January, has been delayed but has already received more than 17,000 online applications.

“The costs, including logistics applications, connections and test centres and so on, work out to around Rs. 600 for a candidate, but we will collect only a nominal amount of Rs. 50 from applicants at this introductory stage,” said Mr. Vidyashankar. The test will be held in collaboration with MeritTrac Services Private Ltd at Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Belgaum, Hubli and Gulbarga.

Benefits
The programme will not only benefit students who will get their certification from the Government of Karnataka but it will also help industries formulate a district-wise assessment of computer literacy and skill levels. “This will help companies decide where they want to set up their units in the State. Such data is usually missing and it will attract investors to Karnataka by providing them with clear district-wise statistics and helping them locate talent pools," said Mr. Vidyashankar.

Basic skills
The department has tried to rope in industry majors and is currently holding talks with several big names in the business. “The test is designed to determine basic skills which are employment-centric. It will create and document a talent pool in tier-II and tier-III cities in the State, which is what investors have their eye on,” said Madan Padaki, CEO, MeritTrac Services. Though they have not publicised the programme, most of the responses are from outside Bangalore. This is a positive sign, as that is largely our target audience, said Mr. Padaki.

Two phases
The CSPT is aimed at promoting computer literacy and providing a certification for those with basic skills. The test will be conducted in two phases – it will test the e-ail writing skills and basic skills with MS Word and MS Excel.

The department also plans to send out notifications to around 200 colleges in the State, informing them about the CSPT. Students need to send emails to apply and the result of the tests will be declared within a month.