Project delays: FKCCI to petition MPs

Bangalore, Mar 6 (UNI) The Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) has decided to meet the Karnataka members of parliament from the state to appraise them the delay in implementation of various infrastructure projects pending with the center and urge them to pursue for early clearances.

Addressing a press conference FKCCI President R C Purohit said thanks to the initiative taken by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rahaman Khan a meeting had been fixed on March eight at the Parliament. A 36-member FKCCI delegation would attend the meeting, he said.

He said MP's would be briefed about projects including State Highways, Sea Ports, Airports, Railways, Power and Tourism projects, which were approved by the state government but delayed due to want of central clearance.

Listing major projects which needed early implementation he said Rs 390-crore Gulbarga-Bidar broad-gauge railway line, development of airports at Hassan, Bidar, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Shimoga had suffered delays. He said that despite its rich potential the state had only one Major sea port at New Mangalore and urged to take up another project at Malpe for which the state government had sent a Rs 140 crore proposal.

Mr Purohit said that Karnataka stands 5th in the country in industrialisation, and ranked 3rd most preferred state in the country by the Foreign Direct Investors for investment. Several infrastructure projects were still pending with the center and expeditious clearance of these pending proposals will help the state to achieve alround development.

UNI