MANGALORE: The proposal to start the petro SEZ (Special Economic Zone) in Mangalore is with Union Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and the Karnataka Government is pursuing it, Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash, has said.

At a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Prakash said the SEZ will be a prestigious project for the State. The nodal officer and the Special Purpose Vehicle will be in place soon, he said.

He said the Government has cleared the Information Technology Special Economic Zone for Mangalore taluk. Infosys chief Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy has outlined the Mangalore IT SEZ project to the Government and it has cleared 371 acres to Infosys. The Government has been promised that the land will be utilised to create one of the best IT production centres in the country, he said.

He said the Government was looking at Mangalore and Mysore as the future destinations of IT industry in the State. It has been estimated that the country will need 1.41 million IT professionals to fill up jobs created in the IT sector in the country and globally.

International airport

He said the Government is keen to complete the Hassan-Mangalore railway line and the international airport, the two most important projects, at the earliest. Work on Hassan-Mangalore line is progressing briskly.

Concerns of the State Government in declaring Mangalore airport an international airport have been conveyed to the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Praful Patel by State Civil Aviation Minister P.G.R. Sindhia.

He said Kerala already had three international airports and the fourth one at Kannur was getting ready.

If Mangalore has to have its international airport, it should be before Kannur airport becomes operational, Mr. Prakash said.

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