Hubli-Dharwad set for big growth

Hubli-Dharwad set for big growth
Business Standard

Our Correspondent / Hubli August 30, 2005:
Chairman of Bharat Forge Limited Baba Kalyani said Hubli-Dharwad would witness tremendous changes in the next five years and urged the entrepreneurs to leverage the inherent strengths in the region to derive advantage for their business.

Speaking at the platinum jubilee of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Hubli on Monday he said the changes would be driven through partnerships between various stakeholders and the key element would be the spirit of entrepreneurship that flourishes in the region.

He suggested that the focus should be to leverage strong educational infrastructure in Hubli-Dharwad to build competitive advantage.

He said intellectual capacities attracted large capital investments in the region.

Kalyani said the government must take urgent steps to radically improve wherever necessary. It must rationalise tax structure, accelerate labour reforms and facilitate development of skills, he said.

Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, who inaugurated the celebrations, reiterated that the government was committed to making Hubli-Dharwad investor-friendly.

Deputy Chief Minister M P Prakash released the souvenir on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, KCCI President Shankaranna Munavalli urged the chief minister to declare Hubli-Dharwad as a special economic zone (SEZ).

Local industrialists R N Shetty, Vijay Sankeshwar and Shamanur Shivashankarappa were felicitated on the occasion.