Bengaluru, March 10 Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries M B Patil said on Tuesday that the state government is pursuing several new industrial projects in north Karnataka and has initiated talks with multiple companies to create employment opportunities in Vijayapura district and Bagalkote district.
Responding to a question raised by BJP MLC Prahlad Pujar in the Legislative Council, Patil said the government is implementing a new industrial policy aimed at encouraging investment outside Bengaluru and addressing regional imbalances in industrial development.
“As part of our industrial policy for 2025–30, we are continuing the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ campaign that existed earlier. We have divided the state into three zones — Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3,” Patil said.
He explained that the policy offers varying levels of incentives depending on the region, with the highest incentives provided in underdeveloped areas.
“In Zone-1, we offer the highest incentives to attract industries, while Zone-2 gets slightly fewer incentives, and Zone-3 includes Bengaluru where incentives are minimal,” he said.
According to him, the government is currently in discussions with several companies to establish industrial projects in the region.
“Specifically, after I became Industries Minister, we have been in discussions with around nine or ten companies.”
Among the projects in the pipeline, he said, a facility by Reliance Industries is set to begin construction soon.
“Next week we are conducting the ground-breaking ceremony for a project by Reliance at Kembhavi, which will create about 1,600 jobs."
Patil highlighted that international agribusiness company Viterra is also establishing a processing unit that would benefit pulse-producing districts such as Vijayapura and Kalaburagi district.
The facility, he said, would focus on processing pulses such as tur dal, which are widely grown in the region.
In addition, renewable energy firm Suzlon Energy is setting up a rotor-blade manufacturing facility for wind turbines in the region.
“Altogether, we are pursuing about eight to ten new industrial projects,” Patil said, adding that while sectors such as cement and sugar have historically dominated the area, the government is now attempting to diversify industrial activity.
“At least two or three projects are already confirmed, and others depend on final approval of incentives by the Cabinet sub-committee,” he said.
The minister also noted that the government has adopted recommendations of the Nanjundappa Committee Report to provide additional incentives for industrial investments in backward areas.
“Areas classified as ‘more backward’ get an additional 3 per cent incentive and ‘most backward’ areas get 5 per cent, apart from the zonal incentives,” Patil said.
During the discussion, MLC Pujar raised concerns about the lack of industries in north Karnataka and claimed that people displaced by submergence projects in Bagalkote and Vijayapura districts have lost livelihoods and are struggling to find employment.
Responding to the criticism, Patil said the government is actively pursuing industrial investments and also has sufficient land available for projects. “Regarding land banks, there is no shortage of land. Let me state clearly — there is no shortage of land banks.”
He also pointed out that the state government is willing to collaborate with the union government to bring major industrial projects to the region.
“As for the Centre, if the central government cooperates, we will certainly work with them. Industries such as defence or fertiliser units can come if the Centre supports them,” Patil said.
Patil added that the state has also responded positively to recent proposals from the Union government.
“Recently, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy proposed a testing facility in Mandya, and the state government immediately agreed to provide 105 acres of land when 100 acres were requested,” he said.
“We are ready to provide land and incentives if the Centre brings industries,” Patil added.