Bangalore: Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board A. Ravindra said here on Friday that the urban-urban divide in a city like Bangalore should cause as serious a concern as the rural-urban divide.

The progress of technology and wealth creation had not reached all sections, he said.

In his keynote address to the Confederation of Indian Industry's Karnataka's members day session on "Bangalore as an engine for inclusive growth", the former Chief Secretary said some concerns of industry like the law and order situation in Bangalore were symptoms of the divide.

Job potential

"Now with the creation of Greater Bangalore, the civic administration will have to look more closely at rural areas too and not only urban slums.

"Housing had to become affordable even for the poor and lower middle income group and real estate developers will not address this need.

Opportunities

More employment opportunities can be created if industries help the Government in technical skills training efforts; even 10 lakh more jobs can be created if industry spreads to tier-two cities, provided facilities are available there.

Those in the lowest income sections need access to micro credit and the banking sector has to show more interest in this," Mr. Ravindra said.

Vice-chairman and managing director of ABB Ltd Ravi Uppal said: "Inclusive growth is no longer an option but a necessity. Raising agricultural income even for marginal farmers, building adequate rural infrastructure to attract industries and encouraging more agro-based industries are the choices open," he said.

Skill gaps

CII Southern Region chairman M. Lakshminarayan said the "skill gaps" identified by organisations like NASSCOM could be corrected with enough training centre for rural youth.

Incentives for industries in backward parts of the State could result in industry hubs that spread jobs and prosperity to people living in a 75 to 100-km radius as was witnessed in Uttarakhand, he said.

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