In an effort to ensure a balanced and integrated industrialisation in the state through upgrade of the manufacturing sector, Karnataka will formulate and implement a new industrial policy from April 1, 2014.
Through the policy, the government aims to create 1 million new jobs in the next five years, Governor H R Bhardwaj said.
"In order to create more employment and to project the state as a preferred destination for investors, a Global Investors' Meet is planned during October 2014. In order to facilitate investments, a facility will be provided for the investors to file the applications and obtain all approvals /licenses online from the various stakeholders," he told the joint session of the legislature, here today.
In the present financial year, for the period-ended December, 2013, more than Rs 35,000 crore of revenues has been collected under the commercial taxes and excise, recording a growth in excess of 12 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year, he said.
"All efforts are being made to meet the revenue targets to ensure a meaningful implementation of the development programmes being undertaken by the government," Bhardwaj said.
In the area of e-Governance, the government will establish common service centres (CSC) and E-district programmes across all the gram panchayats to take closer to citizens and businesses.
The state is set to launch mobile services to offer over 250 services on cell phones to its citizen and this will progressively cover all citizens, he said.
"I am happy to report that under the existing e-procurement programme, over Rs 50,000 crore worth of procurement business is being carried out every year which makes it one of the largest in India," the governor said.
He said, stringent measures have been put in place to curb illegal mining and transportation of mineral wealth and the government has come out with a new legislation on stone crushers and quarrying.
Prompt action has been taken on the report of the Lokayukta on illegal iron ore mining to ensure the guilty are punished.
As per Supreme Court orders, the state is committed to formulating and implementing suitable reclamation and rehabilitation (R&R) plans for the mining-affected districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur.
The state government has assigned the task of formulation of R&R plans to the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, he said.
A large number of infrastructure development projects are being taken up to improve the transport sec-tor across major cities. Besi-des, new energy-efficient vehicles are being introduced to meet the public demand across the state.
"It is proposed to achieve energy sufficiency during the coming years by adding 3,880 Mw capacity. Special emphasis on usage of renewable energy sources is being laid while reducing aggregate technical and commercial losses in distribution," the governor said.
The government intends to improve the connectivity in the state including rail, air and maritime sectors. Ongoing railway projects will be completed on priority basis. The government has supported setting up of rail coach factory at Kolar and Yadgir. The Hubli-Ankola Railway Line and Tadadi port will be taken forward, in coordination with government of India, he said.
Infrastructure sector will be strengthened by taking up signature projects such as City Gas Distribution.
(CGD) for clean fuel, Bangalore International Convention Centre (BIC) and Devanahalli Business Park (DBP). A policy on minor airports is being prepared for improving the regional air connectivity in the state, he said.
Bhardwaj said the Bangalore Metro Rail Project is being pursued vigorously. The section between Peenya Village Station and Nagasandra is scheduled for commissioning in the month of August 2014. The entire east-west corridor between Baiyappanahalli and Mysore Road Terminal is likely to be opened for public by the end of 2014, he added.
