Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has appealed to Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to develop Mangaluru-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (MBIC) on the lines of development of other industrial corridors in the country.
In a memorandum submitted to the minister, KCCI president Shashidhar Pai Maroor said that the KCCI is happy to note that the government has approved the development of 11 Industrial Corridors with 32 projects to be developed in four phases in the country as part of the National Industrial Corridor Programme (NICP) which are under various stages of conceptualization/development /implementation.
“Due to its strategic location and being a powerhouse of economic activities, Bengaluru is part of the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC - now extended to Kochi via Coimbatore), Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (HBIC), and Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (BMIC). We also note that in Karnataka, at present, Tumakuru Industrial Area (on CBIC) and Dharwad Node (on BMIC) have project development activities under way. Hence, the KCCI has decided to propose a Mangaluru-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (MBIC). The proposed MBIC can connect the state's only all-weather Port (New Mangalore Port) with the state’s capital Bengaluru passing to the hinterland areas of Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, and Bengaluru Rural districts through National Highway 75,” said the memorandum.
In a few years, the distance between Mangaluru and Bengaluru is expected to be covered within 5-6 hours. The presence of New Mangalore Port, an all-weather deep-draft seaport with capability and experience to handle cargo of volume and diversity on this corridor will further boost the EXIM trade in this region. Further, the Mangaluru International Airport which is having direct flights to the Gulf countries has not reached its full potential in export cargo. Perishable goods from the hinterland can be exported via Mangaluru International Airport, the KCCI said in its representation.
"The proposed MBIC has a huge potential for the unparalleled economic development of the state, creating large employment opportunities and helping towards overall socio-economic development. Development of this corridor would give a boost to our Prime Minister's vision to boost exports from every district. The development of the Corridor would give a boost to small-scale industrial activities in these districts and boost Karnataka's share of exports," he said.
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