Belagavi to be included in list of export hub districts, says Union minister Piyush Goyal

BELAGAVI / HUBBALLI: Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal assured the industrial fraternity of Belagavi that the district would be shortly included in the list of districts as an export hub for casting. This is an initiative of the Central government targeting export promotion, manufacturing, and export promotion.

He was addressing the industrial fraternity of the city at the Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) hall here on Sunday evening, as part of the campaign of collecting suggestions of commerce and industry sector for creating the BJP manifesto.

“Once the district is included in the list of export hubs, it would be easy to open a centre of excellence here and take steps to improve testing facilities,” he added. Goyal assured to send a team of resource persons to Belagavi to give details about Government e-Market place (GeM- Sahay), which would help manufacturers to market their products. The digital platform launched by the Central government also helps industrialists in different ways, he said.

The minister suggested the industrial bodies of the city to push for becoming a hub for defence equipment manufacturing. Since Belagavi is in a strategic location of being just 500km from Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and is a hub in casting manufacturing, pushing for a defence equipment manufacturing hub is a good bet, he said, adding “There might be a reason why the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC) was established in Belagavi.”

On the sudden cancellation of 12 flights from Sambra Airport in Belagavi by different airlines, Goyal said this problem is being created not just in India but world-wide due to shortage of airplanes. He assured that the problem would be resolved as soon as possible. MP Mangala Angadi, Rajya Sabha member Iranna Kadadi, MLA Abhay Patil, BCCI president Hemendra Porwal among others were present.

‘Give clear mandate to BJP’

Piyush Goyal on Sunday appealed to people to elect BJP as the single largest party with a majority for a stable government in the state.

Speaking at an industrialists convention in Hubballi, Goyal urged the people of Karnataka to vote for BJP with a clear mandate like the one given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This would ensure the progress of developmental works initiated by the Bommai government, he added.

Due to the Congress - JD(S) government in the state recently, people faced lots of problems and industrialists went through many difficulties, he claimed.

During the meeting, Goyal assured the industrialists of BJP’s unwavering support for them and their businesses. He also appealed to industrialists for their suggestions to develop a strong election manifesto.

Goyal praised finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for providing assistance to industries in tranches during the Covid-19 pandemic. He emphasized that the BJP government always brings policies favorable to industries and industrialists.

Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, Jayateertha Katti, state co-convenor for BJP, mayor Iresh Anchatgeri, Sanjay Kapatkar, Dr Mahesh Nalwad, Veeresh Sanglad and others were present.