Large and Medium Scale Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday launched a movie, Resilient Karnataka, to showcase the state's resilience in the battle against COVID-19 and the measures taken by the state government to ensure smooth flow of industrial activities in the state during the nationwide lockdown.
Addressing a virtual meeting in Bengaluru, Shettar said over the last eight months, even as the country fought the pandemic, it was critical for the states and private players to keep the economic engine running without losing the focus on lives of citizens.
"The movie is a testament to Karnataka government’s will and its proactive support to the private players even as it maintained a balance between saving lives and the economy," said Shettar.
"Karnataka is one of the most industrially advanced states in India and is today $ 250 billion economy. Lockdown has impacted the common man, industries and its workers in a big way. The movie showcases the measures taken by the government to sustain critical supply chains during the lockdown," said Gaurav Gupta, principal secretary, department of industries and commerce.
"During the early days of the pandemic, the state government ensured the continuity of operations of aerospace and defence establishments, further enhancing the industry's confidence in Karnataka and Bengaluru," added Gupta.
Shettar expressed happiness over Karnataka topping the NITI Aayog 2019 Innovation Index and attributed it to the availability of quality human resource, reputed higher educational institutions, and the thrust to research and development, a proactive administration to create a conducive environment for investments.
Citing the new Industrial Policy 2020-2025, Shettar said the policy was investor-centric and hoped to build a prosperous Karnataka and create immense employment opportunities too.
"The industrial policy is forward-looking and brings in several incentives and regulatory reforms such as land access and labour market regulation. A top priority of our government has been to promote economic and industrial development," added Shettar.
