Karnataka CM lauds Aatmanirbhar Bharat Scheme, assures 'it will boost industrial activity'

Karnataka would benefit from the fourth tranche of the economic stimulus package announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as it would boost industrial activities as well as generate employment, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said here on Saturday.

The government on Saturday announced an easing of limits on Foreign Direct Investment in defence manufacturing, privatisation of six more airports, opening up of more air space and allowing private sector in commercial coal mining. It also announced structural reforms in the mining of minerals.

READ | PM Modi lauds FM Sitharaman's Part 4 of economic package that reforms key sectors

"The policy changes in the mineral sector will complement the state's mineral policy. Our state has several mineral deposits and mining is thereby allowed," the Chief Minister said in a statement. The present laws on mining were cumbersome, the Chief Minister said, adding that activities can henceforth be carried out without much hurdles. This will help generate more employment opportunities in the state, he said.

"The state has abundant mineral deposits of iron, copper, gold, quartz and uranium. Mining these minerals will help the State s economic growth. Private participation in mining will prove profitable to the state," Yediyurappa said.

 
READ | Defence Sector gets 'Make in India' boost in Centre's fourth tranche of Stimulus 2.0

The Chief Minister also opined that investment in sectors like defence, space, civil aviation and planetary exploration will benefit Karnataka. As the state has many manufacturing units in these sectors, ancillary units complementing these sectors will be established, Yediyurappa said. "The financial policies which were announced today will save foreign exchange. Private participation in the Atomic Science sector will also benefit our State," the Chief Minister stated. He said during his Davos tour, many space and defence sector companies had evinced interest in investing in Karnataka, which can now be realized.

READ | Centre Rolls Out Structural Reforms In 8 Indian Sectors In Its Fourth Economic Tranche

Sitharaman's fourth tranche 

The Centre announced structural reforms in eight sectors in the fourth tranche of its economic package amid Coronavirus lockdown. The reforms introduced affect 8 sectors namely - Coal, defence production, minerals, civil aviation (Airports, Airspace Mgmt & MRO), power distribution in UTs, Space and atomic energy. The steps include Commercial mining in the coal sector, Seamless exploration-cum-mining-cum-production regime in the mineral sector, Corporatisation not privatisation of Ordnance Factory Board, overhauling of Airspace management, making India an MRO hub and auctioning of airports, privatisation of Power distribution in Union territories, Rs. 8000 crores to revamp Social infrastructure, Private participation boost in Space exploration and several reforms in atomic sector.

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