‘Efforts on to promote IT industry in region'

STAFF CORRESPONDENT - the hindu

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Sankalp Semiconductor Private Ltd. moved to the Aryabhata Technology Park on Wednesday.

Sankalp Semiconductor, with an employee base of 140, caters to the top 10 semiconductor companies in the world. It is the second company to begin its operations from the tech park set up at Navanagar between Hubli and Dharwad with the objective of promoting IT companies in the region. ITES company N.S. Infotech was the first to begin its operations from the tech park last year.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister and Dharwad district in charge Jagadish Shettar inaugurated the new premises of the company on Wednesday.

The company, which shifted its base from Bangalore to Hubli a few years ago, was hitherto operating from the campus of BVB College of Engineering and Technology.

Lauding the company for involving itself with various initiatives aimed at helping students from the region, Mr. Shettar promised all help for IT companies willing to operate from Hubli. Mr. Shettar said the State Government was making focussed efforts for promoting the IT industry in the Hubli-Dharwad region. The Minister warned that if companies failed to make use of the land for which it was allotted to them at the tech park, it would be taken back by the administration.

Trustee of the Deshpande Foundation Gururaj Deshpande spoke.

Commissioner of the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation K.V. Trilokchandra listed out the steps taken for the development of the twin cities and also for attracting IT companies. Chief executive officer of Sankalp Semiconductor Vivek Pawar was among those present.

Prizes

On the occasion, prizes were given away to the winners of the ‘Aavishkar' science project competition conducted by the company.

Minister lays foundation stone for expo centre

STAFF CORRESPONDENT - THE HINDU

First step: Minister Jagadish Shettar laying the foundation stone for the permanent multipurpose exhibition centre in Dharwad on Sunday. Pralhad Joshi, MP, Chandrakant Bellad, MLA, and Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain are seen.

Minister in charge of Dharwad district Jagadish Shettar has laid the foundation stone for the permanent multipurpose exhibition centre here.

Speaking on the occasion here on Sunday, Mr. Shettar said the Government had released an initial grant of Rs. 50 lakh for the project, which would be utilised to construct roads and a drainage system.

Grants for the Rs. 15-crore project would be released in three phases, the Minister said. As much as Rs. 5 crore was expected to be earmarked in the coming budget towards this, he said.

Truck terminal

In addition, a Rs. 50-core proposal would be submitted to the State Government for a truck terminal at Hubli. Nearly 50 acres of land had been identified at Hanchitgeri on Kalghatagi road for the purpose, Mr. Shettar said.

Providing details about the permanent exhibition centre, Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain said the centre would come up on nine acres of land. It would contain a 3,000-sq. ft indoor exhibition facility, with a capacity of 300 stalls.

It would also contain the administrative building, seminar and convention halls, and a dormitory.

Once the project was complete, the practice of using stadiums to hold exhibitions would be discontinued, he said.

Regional ANSSIRD centre opens today

STAFF CORRESPONDENT - THE HINDU

It will provide training to officers and elected representatives of the panchayats

The regional centre of the Abdul Nazeer Sab State Institute of Rural Development (ANSSIRD) will start functioning from Monday.

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar will inaugurate the new centre at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Karnataka (CEDOK) in Belur near here.

The new centre will provide training to elected members of the panchayati raj institutions of north Karnataka. Its jurisdiction will extend to the 12 districts of Belgaum and Gulbarga divisions.

The ANSSIRD centre, until now, has been only located at Mysore. Panchayat members from across the State have to travel to Mysore for training. Hence, there have been demands to have a branch in north Karnataka.

The regional centre will conduct training for elected representatives, officers and staff of the panchayats, hold workshops, seminars and conferences and encourage research. It will also allow other institutions to use its infrastructure for research.

Besides, it is expected to provide policy suggestions for the planning and implementation of government welfare programmes, as well as initiate steps to enable government departments, institutions and non-governmental organisations use the institute's facilities for their programmes.

Mr. Shettar said his ministry had entered into a pact with the Department of Industries to run the centre at CEDOK.

The centre would have an independent building soon, and the district administration has been asked to identify ten acres of land for the purpose, he said.

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It will function at CEDOK in Belur, Dharwad

New centre to provide policy suggestions for planning of government welfare programmes

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