The Hindu Business Line : `Stable government must to carry forward reforms'

"ALL we want is a stable government, whether here or at the Centre, to continue with good reforms and correct the inadequacies," summed up the voices from the industry in the State, on a cloudy day with a fractured verdict hanging over the Vidhana Soudha.

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Secretary, Mr T. Ramappa, listed out the main concerns of the industry that the new government in the State had to tackle on an urgent basis: infrastructure concerns such as power generation, distribution and supply; the Hassan-Mangalore rail line and more importantly the international airport that he said had again slowed down. The industry has suffered on account of high power tariffs and irrigation is of concern, he said.

Industry benefits so long as the good policies are carried forward and all the sections of state economy also do well, Mr Ramappa said.

Biocon CMD, Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, said it was desirable to have a clear mandate but neglect of infrastructure and the anti-incumbency factor had caused the defeat of the S.M. Krishna-government in the State. The industry's main worry had been the prospect of a hung Parliament. With that overcome now, knowledge-based sectors like biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, she said, would get the due policy support, especially as the Congress is the author of the economic reforms.

A senior government official, who has been at the helm of critical policy-making, said he hoped that all areas of industry would get their due priorities especially the manufacturing sector. This, along with a low-end service area like tourism, he said, should help to create more jobs and broaden the spectrum of attention. "Karnataka has global quality manufacturing units and it has to be supported as much as IT and services. Otherwise it will be a lopsided development," he said.