Gulbarga to host MSMI investors' meet on May 28

Source: The Hindu

MoUs worth Rs. 10,000 crore expected to be signed

Sharing information:Minister for Small-Scale Industries Narasimha Nayak addressing a press conference in Gulbarga on Sunday. Commissioner of the Industries Maheshwara Rao isseen.— Photo: Arun Kulkarni

The State government will host an investors' meet for micro-, small- and medium-scale industries (MSMI) in Gulbarga to explore the investment potential in Gulbarga Revenue division covering Gulbarga, Raichur, Bellary, Bidar, Yadgir and Koppal district on May 28.

Briefing presspersons after chairing a preliminary meeting with representatives of trade and industry in Gulbarga on Sunday, Minister for Small-Scale Industries Narasimha Nayak and Commissioner of Industries Maheshwara Rao said Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda would inaugurate the investors' meet here on May 28. Minister for Major Industries Murugesh Nirani would also participate.

Mr. Nayak said he expected that at the meet, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) would be signed with potential investors for investments worth Rs. 10,000 crore in Gulbarga.

He said the investors' meet was part of the Global Investors' Meet (GIM) to be held in Bangalore on June 7 and 8. While the GIM in Bangalore would deal with investment in major industries, the investors' meet held at the divisional headquarters would tap potential investment in MSMIs.

Mr. Nayak said the investors' meets for MSMI held in other parts of Karnataka including Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum were an unprecedented success, with the government signing MoUs worth several thousand crores.

At the investors' meet held in Mysore on May 4, MoUs worth more than Rs. 10,000 crore were signed; at the meet held in Hubli in March, MoUs worth Rs. 4,800 crore were signed, and at the meets held in Belgaum and Mangalore, MoU's worth Rs. 2,000 crore and Rs. 1,500 crore respectively were signed.

To a question, Mr Nayak said that investment opportunities in MSMIs was very high in the state and it had remained untapped all these years and the investors meet had helped the state to tap this potential and create more employment avenues with the opening of new industries in the tier II cities.

Mr. Nayak said Gulbarga had good potential in the MSMI sector, and the State government was confident of inviting investors from the neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh to invest in the pharmaceutical and other industrial hubs in the Gulbarga region.

The government would set up a common effluent plant in Yadgir for the proposed pharmaceutical hub in Yadgir district.

In Gulbarga, a jewellery park was proposed to be set up along with the textile park and other industries.

[Bellary] BUDA to acquire 100 acres to develop new layouts

Source: The Hindu

The general body of the Bellary Urban Development Authority (BUDA), which met here on Monday, approved the acquisition of land for development of layouts.

Chairman of the authority Vinodkumar presided over the meeting.

During the meeting, the participants were informed that farmers had offered to part with about 100 acres of land for the layouts. The farmers had been made aware of the BUDA rules. They had been told that as per Government directions, sites developed in the new layouts would be shared between landowners and BUDA in the ratio of 40:60.

Steps would soon be taken to estimate the cost of developing the layouts, conduct a feasibility study, and if found viable, a proposal would be sent to the Government for approval.

A proposal to construct two roads, estimated to cost Rs. 10 crore, which would be shared by both BUDA and the city corporation, was approved. While one road was proposed from T.B. Sanatorium to National Highway 63, the other one would be between the residence of the Superintendent of Police and the judges' quarters.

Other proposals

Proposals for completing an underground drainage system and civil works in Venkataram Nagar, fencing parks in Vijayanagar, Siddarth and Inna Reddy colonies, Gopalagowda Nagar Stage II, Tekur Subramanyam Park, and installation of lights in the cultural complex were approved.

Mr. Vinodkumar said that the authority wanted to acquire about 100 acres for developing layouts and allot sites to the poor. He said that a proposal to construct 90 commercial shops in the vacant space available on the BUDA office premises was unanimously approved.

G. Somashekara Reddy, MLA; Mrutyunjaya Jinaga, MLC; Amlan Aditya Biswas, Deputy Commissioner; D.L. Narayan, BUDA commissioner; and Murgannanavar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, were present.

Karnataka to relocate Bellary zoo near Hampi

Source: DHNS

Karnataka will soon come up with a world-class zoo near heritage site Hampi by relocating the Bellary zoo, officials said.

The zoo in Bellary would be relocated to a new site, next to Hampi, in Kamalapura reserve forest in Hospet Taluk as conditions for animals and birds are not ideal there, Karnataka's Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests M N Jayakumar told PTI. "Government of India has already given its approval for this new zoo to be built with an investment of nearly Rs 70 crore and for which construction will begin very soon," said Jayakumar, who is also Member-Secretary of Zoo Authority of Karntaka. The new zoo with larger space for animals will be easily accessible for tourists coming to Hampi, he said.

[Bellary] Swastik Steel plans to set up integrated steel plant in Karnataka.

Source: http://domexinfo.in/blog/?p=1566

Metallurgy
Status: Planning
Promoter: Swastik Steel (Hospet) Private Limited
Project Name: Integrated Steel Plant
Capacity: Sponge Iron-200 TPD, Beneficiated Iron Ore-1.2 MTPA, Iron Ore Pellets-1.2 MTPA, Bar And Rolled Products – 482,500 TPA and CPP-140 MW
Location: Hospet, Dist Bellary, Karnataka
Current Status: As of March 2011, work on the project is under planning stage. Necessary clearances for the project are awaited.

26 parks to come up in Bellary

Source: The Hindu

G. Somashekara Reddy, MLA and chairman of the Karnataka Milk Federation, on Wednesday performed ‘bhoomi puja' for a park at Renukacharya Nagar and also set in motion the strengthening of the stretch of National Highway 63 that passes through the city.

Mr. Reddy said the Bellary Urban Development Authority (BUDA) was developing the park at an estimated cost of Rs. 35 lakh. It was one among the five parks proposed to be developed by it. He hoped that the park would be completed early so that people could enjoy the benefits.

Beautification

A total of 26 parks were being developed in various localities of the city, he said. The city corporation was developing 10 parks and the remaining with private participation.

All of them were expected to be ready in two years adding that all efforts were being made for beautification of city, maintain cleanliness and provide basic infrastructure facilities

The repairs on a stretch of NH 63 between the railway station and Allipur had taken up at a cost of Rs. 7.77 crore.

Mr. Reddy said the work would be completed in six months.

He said the busy Gadagi Chennappa Circle in the city was being developed at a cost of Rs. 5 crore as part of the beautification of the city.

The widening of the road to Bangalore and other busy main roads had begun and the work would be completed at the earliest.

Mayor Noorjahan, Deputy Mayor Torpu Yellappa, BUDA chairman S. Gurulinganagoud, chairman of Central Relief Committee, K.A. Ramalingappa, city corporation commissioner and BUDA officials were present.

[Bellary] The stretch between HRG Circle and APMC Circle on the Bidar-Srirangapatna State Highway 19 here will be developed into a six-lane road

Source: The Hindu

The stretch between HRG Circle and APMC Circle on the Bidar-Srirangapatna State Highway 19 here will be developed into a six-lane road, according to G. Somashekara Reddy, MLA and Chairman of the Karnataka Milk Federation.

Mr. Reddy told presspersons here on Wednesday that the Government had sanctioned Rs. 15 crore to the Public Works Department for implementing this project.

As this narrow stretch is a prominent thoroughfare leading to Bangalore, there were complaints of traffic snarls for quite some time now, especially after the Central Bus Stand was shifted. The problem was further compounded when several commercial shops were opened at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Commercial Complex constructed by the Bellary Urban Development Authority (BUDA).

Mr. Reddy said that PWD officials had been asked to make optimum use of the open space available along the stretch and minimise the demolition of buildings that had come up on either side of the road. As per the information made available by the authorities, a 120-metre stretch at the beginning and the end will be a four-lane road and about 1,110 m will be developed into six lanes.

Minister to inaugurate newly developed park at Kuvempu Nagar in Bellary on Saturday

Source: The Hindu

PICTURESQUE: A view of the newly developed park at Kuvempu Nagar in Bellary.

Till recently, a plot of over three acres at Kuvempur Nagar here was covered with weeds . However, a lush park has come up there.

The park has been developed by the city corporation, in association with JSW Steel, at an estimated cost of around Rs. 1.2 crore at the behest of Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy. The park, which will be inaugurated on January 22, has been named after the late actor Vishnuvardhan.

A life-size bronze statue of Vishnuvardhan installed at the entrance to the park will be unveiled by Bharathi Vishnuvardhan on the inaugural day. Mr. Janardhan Reddy and Health Minister B. Sriramulu will inaugurate the park while G. Somashekara Reddy, MLA and Chairman of the Karnataka Milk Federation, will preside. Mayor Noorjahan and many elected representatives will be present on the occasion, according to Thimmappa, Municipal Commissioner.

Mr. Thimmappa told presspersons here on Wednesday that by developing a park and naming it after Vishnuvardhan, the city corporation had implemented a promise made to the people by Mr. Janardhan Reddy while unveiling the life-size bronze statue of Rajkumar at another park named after him (Rajkumar) in October last.

The corporation planned to develop 29 parks in Bellary. In addition to the five parks to be developed on its own, it had entrusted the development of 11 parks to JSW Steel. Of them, seven had been completed and four were in various stages of completion, Mr. Thimmappa said. A civic reception would be accorded to Ms. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan on January 22. A music programme would be organised at BDAA Grounds the same day at 6.30 p.m.

Bellary readies for Hampi Utsava

Source: Times of India

BELLARY: Tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy said here on Friday that a committee meeting would be convened in the second week of December to chalk out plans for the Hampi Utsava. The festival is scheduled for January 27, 28 and 29. Primary health care centres in Kampli, Rupangudi and Moka villages would be upgraded to 30 bed hospitals and tenders will be invited for the same. "This is to overcome the shortage of primary health care centres in the district," Reddy said.

The tennis court in Bellary gymkhana would be upgraded to international levels.

Replying to a query about leadership change in the state government, he said it was left to the party's national leaders to decide. "We are ready to follow any decision taken by the party high command," he added.

Asked about damage to the party's image due to recent political developments in the state, he said, the election results of the local body which will come shortly would be the perfect yardstick as an answer, Reddy added.

Bellary corporation gives nod to Rs. 2.55-cr. plan

Source: The Hindu

The general body of the Bharatiya Janata Party-controlled city corporation, which met here on Saturday, gave its unanimous approval for the action plan for utilising the Rs. 2.55 crore released under the 13th State Finance Commission. Mayor Noorjahan presided over the meeting.

The action plan has accorded top priority to solid waste management and cleanliness by allocating Rs. 63.81 lakh, including Rs. 30 lakh for purchase of 10 auto tippers for collection and transportation of garbage from the city to the compost yard, Rs. 20 lakh for purchase of 40 containers and Rs. 13.81 lakh for a tractor-mounted road sweeping machine.

Another Rs. 63.81 lakh has been earmarked for the construction of storm-water drains at various places. Of this, Rs. 38.28 lakh will be used for the installation of streetlights and Rs. 25.53 lakh for development of parks and afforestation.

The action plan envisages improvement of drinking water supply by way of constructing overhead tanks and ground-level reservoirs in a few places and laying of water pipelines in various wards at a cost of Rs. 25.53 lakh.

The plan has earmarked Rs. 25.53 lakh to extend the underground drainage system to the area near the APMC here and the municipal workers colony. Another Rs. 25.53 lakh has been set aside for development of park and planting of trees in Beechi Nagar, Havambavi area and improvement of the Dr. Rajkumar park and the ones in municipal employees colony and Gopalgoud Nagar second stage.

The civic body plans to spend Rs. 12.76 lakh on furnishing the municipal offices and the meeting hall.

MLA and chairman of the Karnataka Milk Federation G. Somashekar Reddy and MP J. Shanta were present.

[Bellary] ‘Kannada Naada Habba' begins on Friday

Source: The Hindu

For the second year in a row, the Bellary Naada Habba Committee, in association with Lohiya Prakashan, Bellary, will hold a three-day ‘Kannada Naada Habba' as part of the Dasara festivities from Friday.

Renowned litterateur G.S. Siddalingaiah will inaugurate the programme, which will be held at the Raghava Kala Mandir.

In addition to literary activities, a variety of cultural programmes will also be held. On October 8, Janni and Chintana troupes from Mysore will render folk and light music.

On October 9, a discussion will be held on ‘Values-then and now'. Soolibele Chakravarthi, Y. Gundurao, C. Jayasimha, Padma Vittal, Sinchana and Sanskar Bharati Chakravarti will participate.

On the concluding day, Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka Central University, Gulbarga, S. Chandrashekar, will deliver the valedictory address. It will be followed by staging of Sri Krishna Parijat by a troupe from Bailhongal in Belgaum district.

Projects worth Rs. 2,673 crore cleared for Gulbarga division

Source: The Hindu
Cabinet clears proposals worth Rs. 4,643 crore throughout the State

The third Cabinet meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party Government in the State in Gulbarga on Monday turned out to be a virtual bonanza with the Government clearing a total projected investment of Rs. 2,673.96 crore for various development activities and infrastructure development in the six districts of the Gulbarga Revenue Division.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who addressed presspersons after the meeting, said the Cabinet gave its approval to proposals worth Rs 4,643.80 crore to implement 55 programmes and projects throughout the State. Of this, projects worth Rs. 2,673.96 crore have been approved in the Gulbarga Revenue division comprising the districts of Gulbarga, Bellary, Bidar, Raichur, Bidar and Koppal.

Prominent projects in the Hyderabad Karnataka region that have been cleared include the post-facto approval for the super-speciality hospital of the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) in Bellary at a cost of Rs. 80 crore and a regional super-speciality hospital in Gulbarga city under the Private Public Participation (PPP) model.

The Chief Minister announced that an agricultural college would be established at the Agriculture Research Station in Gulbarga from the next academic year. The Cabinet also cleared a special package of Rs. 50 crore for improving basic infrastructure facilities and to increase the educational facilities at VIMS, Bellary.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Cabinet gave its approval to release Rs. 920 crore as the State Government's equity of the project cost of Rs 2,123 crore for the second stage of the Niranthara Jyoti Scheme. The 40 per cent of the project cost was the State equity and the remaining amount would be raised through loans to improve power supply system in rural areas and provide 24-hour electricity to villages.

He said administrative approval had been given for taking up 30 projects at a cost of Rs. 553.423 crore under the centrally sponsored NRDWP to provide safe drinking water supply to needy villages in 13 districts in the State. The Cabinet also cleared a drinking water supply scheme worth Rs 7.86 crore to benefit 20 villages in Bellary district.

The Cabinet, besides giving approval for various road development works worth Rs 166.50 crore in Gulbarga district, gave administrative approval for taking up development works amounting to Rs. 146.58 crore in Yadgir district by Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd. It also approved a project to fill 10 tanks in Huvina Hadagali taluk in Bellary district at a cost of Rs. 76.70 crore. Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Cabinet also gave approval to set up a zoo at Hampi in Bellary district at a cost of Rs. 67 crore and Rs. 20 crore would be released during the current year for the purpose.

The Cabinet gave its formal approval for constructing two blocks of 50,000 square feet each Information Technology Park in Gulbarga city and Rs. 21 crore has been released for the purpose. It also gave its approval for releasing Rs. 81 crore to develop 2,400 acres of land for industrial purpose in Gulbarga division.

More parks to add to Bellary's greenery

Source: Times of India

 

BELLARY: Eighty parks will be developed in different areas while 10 parks are already in the completion stage, said tourism and district minister G Janardhana Reddy on Saturday.

Addressing the gathering after participating in the Vanamahotsava programme at the government pre-university women's college he said Bellary too is on a par with cities like Mysore, Dharwad, Hubli and Belgaum on development activities. The minister urged students to plant saplings in the city to add to the greenery.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA G Somashekhara Reddy said Bellary City Corporation has distributed 7,000 saplings to the people and has plans to distribute 35,000 more saplings.

The tourism minister also inspected the premises of the Rajkumar park where the statue of Kannada thespian Dr Rajkumar will be unveiled by Parvathamma Rajkumar on October 5. The statue costs around Rs 50 lakhs. On November 5, actor Vishuvardhan's statue, too, will be unveiled by Bharathi Vishuvardhan.

[Bellary] Proposed steel plant near sanctuary causes concern

Source: The Hindu


Bhushan Steel seeks NOC from the Assistant Conservator of Forests
Activists urge authorities to protect wildlife habitat in and around the bear sanctuary

---

Routine work: Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) B.K. Singh inspecting the facilities at the Daroji Bear Sanctuary on Monday. Assistant Conservator of Forests Ravindranath is seen. Bellary: The subcommittee of the State Wildlife Board, headed by cricketer Anil Kumble, will examine the proposal of the Bhushan Steel to set up a steel plant in Gadiganur village, adjacent to the Daroji Bear Sanctury, according to B.K. Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife).
Mr. Singh, who was on a day's visit to the Bear Sanctury for routine inspection, told The Hindu on Monday that the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Ravindranath had received a proposal from Bhushan Steel seeking a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for setting up of its six million tonne steel plant.
“On getting the proposal forwarded by the ACF, it would be placed before the sub-committee to examine as to whether the NOC could be issued or not for setting up of the steel plant. Then, its recommendation would be forwarded to the State Committee on Wildlife, which is headed by the Chief Minister. The State Committee will have to forward its decision/recommendation to the National Committee on Wildlife, which is the final authority to clear the proposal”, he said.
It may be mentioned here that the State Government move to allot land to Bhushan Steel for setting up of its mega steel plant at Gadiganur and surrounding villages had come as a shock to nature lovers and wildlife activists in Bellary district. The activists felt the move is a threat to ‘Karadidham', Asia's first and the biggest Sloth Bear Sanctury, located near Hampi in Bellary district.
They have also expressed concern over the ecologically sensitive area getting disturbed with the setting of the steel plant close to the sanctuary.
Mr. Singh said that the sub-committee may visit the proposed plant site and interact with the stakeholders before taking a decision in the matter.
“The process would commence immediately after the proposal is tabled before the sub-committee”, he said adding that the department had received only one proposal so far seeking the NOC.
To a question, Mr. Singh said that certain area around the bear sanctuary has to be declared as eco-sensitive zone.
“What should be the minimum distance between the ecologically sensitive area and the proposed steel plant will have to be fixed after making a proper study. The matter would be forwarded to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to issue a notification in this regard.
Naturalists Santosh Martin, who is also honorary wildlife warden in the district, and Samad Kottur of Society for Wildlife and Nature, met Mr. Singh and submitted a memorandum with a request to protect the wildlife habitat in and around the bear sanctuary.

BellaryOne BellaryOne launched

Source: The Hindu

Initially, the city will have two service centres



FOR CITIZENS:Thimmappa (right), Municipal Commissioner; G. Somashekar Reddy, MLA and KMF Chairman; G. Janardhan Reddy (extreme left),

BELLARY: Bellary became the ninth city in the State to have integrated citizen service centres with the launch of BellaryOne on Thursday.

To start with, Bellary will have two service centres — one at the City Corporation office complex and the other at the Bellary Urban Development Authority office complex — where people could remit bills pertaining to electricity, telephone and cellphones of certain service providers, water bills and property taxes and buy passport applications. These centres would function between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. throughout the year.

The services are being provided by the Directorate of Electronic Delivery of Citizen Services, e-Governance Department on a public-private partnership model.

Speaking after inaugurating the centre, G. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development, called upon the people to make use of the facilities and services provided.

“Depending upon the need, more such centres will be opened with round-the-clock services,” he said and instructed the Municipal Commissioner to organise public meetings about the services being made available to the public.

M.N. Vidyashankar, Principal Secretary, e-Governance, said that the services were launched for the first time in 2005 in Bangalore and after five years, there were 70 centres in different localities working round-the-clock.

Hubli-Dharwad, Shimoga, Mysore, Mangalore, Tumkur, Davangere and Gulbarga are the other cities where this facility was available.

“From today, people can remit bills pertaining to electricity, telephone bills of BSNL, Airtel and Vodafone, and buy passport applications. In two days, services for remitting water bills and property taxes will be added. By August 31, we want to provide at least 10 services at these Bellary One centres,” Mr. Vidyashankar said.

G. Somashekar Reddy, MLA and Chairman, Karnataka Milk Federation, who presided over the function, said that the development of the city was going on and simultaneously special services such as Bellary One was being provided. He wanted the people to take advantage of it.

N. Thippanna, MLC, T.H. Suresh Babu, MLA, B. Shivappa, Deputy Commissioner, and M.N. Nagaraj, Superintendent of Police, were present.

Thimmappa, Municipal Commissioner, welcomed the gathering. D.S. Ravindran, CEO, e-Governance, proposed a vote of thanks.

[Bellary] Foundation stones for various development works

Source: Hindu

Foundation stones for various development works, proposed to be implemented in Bellary district at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,300 crore, including the controversial Bellary airport, was laid here on Friday by senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

The other projects included super-speciality hospital, three concrete roads from Torangal-Sandur, Kudligi-Sandur and Hospet Sandur, drinking water projects, buildings for the newly established Krishna Devaraya University among others.

In view of the Bellary airport issue embroiled into a controversy and an interim stay granted in a writ petition filed by a section of farmers opposing the airport, not to dispossess the petitioners from their lands, the bhoomi puja for the airport was got done near the T.B. Sanitorium (around 25 km away from the original place identified for the airport) at the hands of a farmer couple.

Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development G. Janardhan Reddy had announced that he would get the bhoomi puja performed by a farmer-couple.

Hampi to get zoo

Source: DHNS

Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy said on Friday that the State Government would develop world heritage site Hampi as a major tourist destination with a 'Rs 100-crore zoo in 1,000 acres in Hampi being the star attraction.

Reddy told reporters that the government had set up Vijayanagar Area Development Authority (VADA) for overall development of Hampi and surrounding areas.

A unique programme ‘Hampi by night’ - to take tourists around Hampi by walk would be launched soon. The programme includes four sound and light shows.

The Zoo Authority of India had given its clearance for setting up of a zoo in Hampi. The government would be investing about 75 crore on the project. The minister said soon after assuming office in the Yeddyurappa Cabinet he had assured the Bellary people that he would develop the district such a way that it should attract attention globally.

“Now all major steel industries of the world are setting up their units in Bellary. In a couple of years from now Bellary will become the global hub of steel,” he said.

The VADA will develop 530 sq km area as a major industrial hub. It would serve as a major centre for all types of industrial activities including providing infrastructure facilities and logistics. The Cabinet would clear the project soon, he added. 

Bellary to get greenfield airport through Marg

Source: BS

Marg Ltd, the Chennai-based infrastructure developer, has been awarded the contract to develop a greenfield airport in Bellary at a cost of Rs 230 crore on a build, operate and transfer basis. Initially, the airport will be suitable for ATR aircraft and will be expanded later to cater to Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

The Infrastructure Development Department, Government of Karnataka, today signed a project development agreement (PDA) with the company. Under the agreement, Marg will operate and maintain the airport for 30 years. The airport will be built over a period of 24 months for which the groundbreaking ceremony will be held on August 20, G R K Reddy, chairman and managing director, Marg Ltd, said.

Marg has floated a special purpose vehicle, christened Marg Sri Krishnadevaraya Airport Ltd, to execute the project. The state government has already acquired 900 acres at Sanganakal village, about 12 km from Bellary city. The project will be executed with the debt-equity ratio of 65:35 per cent. The company is in talks with domestic financial institutions to raise the debt in a phased manner, Reddy told reporters.

Marg will plan and undertake the development of facilities, amenities and other infrastructure like aviation academy, exhibition and convention centre, business parks, shopping mall, flying club, theme or entertainment park among others.

The terminal building at the airport will be built to cater to 100 passengers and there will be facility for parking 6-8 aircraft.

In recent months, Bellary has emerged as the second-fastest growing city in the state. Recently, the state government signed MoUs for setting up several steel mills involving an investment of Rs 2.56 lakh crore. Most of this investment is expected to be in and around Bellary. Bellary-Toranagallu-Hospet belt is presently the largest exporter of galvanised steel.

Bellary is also home to the World Heritage Site at Hampi which attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists. The state government is also spending over Rs 100 crore to develop tourism infrastructure at Hampi, said G Janardhan Reddy, minister for tourism and infrastructure, who was present at the PDA signing ceremony.