Belgaum: With the State Government deciding to establish an information technology park in Belgaum, industrialists, unemployed engineering graduates and those trained in software applications want the process to commence at the earliest.

The district administration has identified 100 acres of land of the 169.32 acres needed at Waghawade village, 17 km from here, for the establishment of the park. An apparel park will be established on the remaining 69.32 acres of land to be developed by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).

According to the Development Officer of the KIADB, sufficient water would be made available for both the parks by drilling bore-wells. Electricity could be provided from the existing 110 KC Substation adjacent to the Machche Industrial Area.

Meanwhile, 40 per cent of the total cost could be obtained as grants for the establishment of the apparel park. The maximum grant available under the Central scheme is Rs. 40 crore.

The KIADB official said that Rs. 20.28 crore was needed to develop the land for the establishment of the two parks.

Local industrialists and those looking for employment in IT-based industry have welcomed the decision of the Government. However, they feel that there has been a considerable delay by successive governments in establishing the two parks.

One need not be sceptical about the significance of the legislature session held here for the past five days and the decisions taken to invest Rs. 600 crore in infrastructure development and other areas, official sources told The Hindu on Saturday.

A Kannada activist said that though various sections, particularly Kannada organisations, were happy that their dream of witnessing a legislature session here had come true, the process of development and progress should begin soon.

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