Karnataka BJP mounts pressure on Cong over charges against Venugopal

Mangaluru, Jan 29: The Indian Coast Guard today commissioned a high-speed coast interceptor boat at New Mangalore Port here giving a fillip to the coastal security.

The water jet propelled Interceptor Boat C-448 (27.80 mts in length) has an endurance of 500 nautical miles at 20 knots.

The vessel fitted with latest state of the art navigation and communication equipment can achieve a speed of 45 knots. Thus, the vessel is designed for high speed interception, close coast patrol, low intensity maritime operations, maritime surveillance, search and rescue.

The quick reaction capability coupled with modern equipment and system ensures that the vessel responds to any maritime situation. With a crew of 12 personnel, C-448 is Commanded by Assistant Commandant Apoorva Sharma.

The Interceptor Boat will be based at Mangaluru. T. M. Vijaya Bhasker, Chief Secretary Karnataka, who commissioned the IB, said that the crew should discharge their duties faithfully and with courage. Anand Prakash Badola, Commander, Coast Guard Region ( West) and A.V. Ramana, Chairman, New Mangalore Port Trust, were present on the occasion.

Hubballi, Feb 16: Rs 72,000 crore investment proposals were received at the Invest Karnataka meet, here on Friday, for the states northern region, said an official on Saturday.

"About 50 foreign and domestic firms have proposed to invest Rs 72,000 crore in the northwest and northern regions of the state and a dozen companies signed agreements with us," state Industries Department Secretary Gaurav Gupta said.

Rajesh Exports, Bengaluru-based group, signed an agreement to set up a manufacturing unit at Dharwad to rollout electric vehicles and make lithium ion batteries.

"Rajesh Exports proposes to invest about Rs 50,000 crore for manufacturing electric cars and lithium ion batteries for the domestic and overseas markets. It will generate about 10,000 jobs," said Gupta.

Similarly, Sonali Power has signed a pact with the state nodal agency (Udyog Mitra) to set up a solar power plant at Davangere at a cost of Rs 4,800 crore, which will generate 2,100 direct jobs.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa claimed several firms had come forward to collectively invest Rs 1 lakh crore since the BJP government came into being in July 2019.

"Many Indian and foreign firms will sign agreements with the state government at the 3-day Global Investors meet in Bengaluru on November 3-5," Yediyurappa said at the 'Invest Karnataka' meet.

Noting that Karnataka was rich in natural and human resources, especially in high-tech and skilled workforce, Yediyurappa said investment opportunities were plenty in aerospace, automobiles, machine tools, electric vehicles and bio-technology besides information technology.

"About 40 global firms expressed interest to invest in the state at a roadshow held at Davos, Switzerland, on the margins of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meet on January 23," he said.

Under the new industrial policy, the state government will set up clusters to make toys at Koppal, textiles in Bellari, solar equipment at Kalaburagi and farm machinery at Bidar.

"We are committed to make North Karnataka a power house of industries for the region's development, with Hubballi-Dharwad as the growth hub," Yediyurappa said.

Bengaluru, Jan 22: Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai today refused to respond when a journalist asked him why Aditya Rao, who was arrested on charge of planting bomb at Mangaluru International Airport, can’t be called a terrorist.

Responding to another query of another journalist on the sidelines of a private program, here, Mr Bommai said all airports in the state would soon have bomb disposal squads.

"After the Mangaluru airport bomb incident, a thought has been given to establishing bomb disposal squads near airports in the state. Hubballi and Kalburgi airports too will have them," he said.

He said, Aditya Rao resident of Udupi who has been in a frustrated state for not getting employment and earlier too arrested for hoax calls surrendered at the DGP office in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The Mangaluru police will take him into custody for investigations, he added.

Despite the suspect surrendering to the police, investigations into the case will continue, he said.

He further added, 'Irrespective of the organisations the accused belongs to, he will be punished.”

Explosives used in the Mangaluru airport bomb have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis and investigation. National Security Guards too were collecting details, he stated.

He then went on to slam Opposition parties over Mangaluru Airport bomb incident. “State police, on getting information about the suspected bag, had acted swiftly and diffused it. The opposition has resorted to politics and using the incident to appease minorities,” he said.

He also termed that the statements made by the opposition would instigate anti-national elements.