“The global investors’ meet in Bengaluru, scheduled in the third week of November, is expected to attract over ₹10 lakh crore in investments and create over 10 lakh jobs,” Minister for Heavy and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani said in Belagavi on September 29. “The government is committed to creating a pro-business atmosphere in Karnataka. We will not concentrate only on Bengaluru, but on the whole State.”
The State government will implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of ‘one district – one product’ in the right spirit. “This will help promote the growth of one crop in a district and create facilities for its processing, storage, transport and export,” he said.
“We are attracting investment to Belagavi, Hubballi and Dharwad. I visited the proposed industrial areas in Kittur, Rayapur and Tarihal as some farmers had opposed land acquisition in these places. I have convinced them to cooperate with the government as ultimately, it will help create jobs,” he said.
2A reservation
He has always been in favour of including the Panchamasali community in the 2A Other Backward Classes category. “Veerashaiva-Lingayat is a group with several sub castes. Some of them, like Panchamasalis, are strong enough to organise agitations, but some are not. We are seeking reservation for the benefit of the weaker sections,” he said.
“I have participated in agitations before I became a Minister. Now that I am a member of the State Cabinet, I cannot hit the streets and throw stones or eggs. However, I don’t believe that Sri Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swami had criticised me over my apparent non-participation in the reservation agitations. He must have made such statements about some other leaders. Why should I think it is about me? I am confident that I have the blessings of the seer. After all, I was instrumental in the ascent of the seer to the Panchamasali mutt,” he said.
Regarding his meeting with Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi in Belagavi on September 29, he said, “We travelled together on the flight from Bengaluru to Belagavi, and then had lunch together. It was not a political meeting.”
