Lack of clarity blurs plan for Mysuru as Karnataka's second IT hub

Mysuru: The proposal in the state budget to make Mysuru the second IT city after Bengaluru has evoked mixed response from stakeholders.

Mysuru Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president K B Lingaraju says the resources are adequate for the growth of industries and service companies, including IT, in Mysuru, the government machinery itself is a hurdle. 

Founder of Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysuru (ACICM) and KPCC spokesman M Lakshmana said Chief Minister Siddaramiah had big plans for the development of Mysuru and all stakeholders should join hands, for the progress of the city and the region.

Leap

Electronics, Information Technology, and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge said, “Mysuru is already a cluster under the Local Economy Accelerator Programme (LEAP). We are also setting up an electronics manufacturing cluster in Mysuru. Players like Kaynes are there. Startups are coming out of Mysuru. There are plans to run incubators and accelerators in Mysuru”.

“The city already accounts for Rs 2,500 crore in IT exports. People are looking to establish nano Global Capability Centres (GCCs) there. There’s demand for grade-A buildings. Keonics and Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) have land available next to Infosys. There’s also land available in Kochanahalli,” Kharge said.

Resources

“Water availability from Kabini river and the presence of human resources and educational institutions are an advantage for Mysuru,” the minister said.

Lakshmana said the proposal is part of the government’s broader push to decentralise technology investments and promote the growth of new technology clusters in cities across Karnataka.

“The information technology ecosystem in Mysuru has already seen a steady growth. More than 30,000 employees are currently working in nearly 100 companies in Mysuru. Besides providing more jobs to the youth and facilitating the overall development of Mysuru, the move will ease congestion in Bengaluru and will strengthen economic activities beyond the capital,” he said.

GCCs

Highlighting Karnataka’s focus on Global Capability Centres (GCCs), Lakshmana said Karnataka was the first state in India to introduce a dedicated policy for the sector.

“Under the GCC policy, more than 550 such centres are operating in Karnataka. The government has a target to establish 500 new GCCs by 2029. The expansion of GCCs is expected to generate employment for around 3.5 lakh people and create an economic output of nearly $ 50 billion over the next few years,” Lakshmana said.

Lingaraju said there will be problems if more companies are set up in Mysuru, but they also bring in more jobs and prosperity.

“Already, vehicular traffic becomes horrible during weekends, extended weekends and holidays, due to high influx of tourists. More the footfall of people, the better it is for the economy,” he said.

Hurdles

“A major hurdle to development are activists in Mysuru. While implementing development projects, there is a lot of opposition to felling of trees by environmentalists. Recently, there was opposition to the construction of a stadium, a NIMHANS-like hospital, widening of roads, construction of flyovers, etc. Planned and upgraded infrastructure is required if activities increase in the city and surroundings. But if each project is opposed and delayed, it is difficult,” he said.

He expressed suspicion about the proposal itself, citing corruption and lethargy in the government departments and agencies.

“If the government machinery is not responsive and encouraging, government policies will remain only on paper,” he said.

Implementation the key

D Sudhanva, a pioneer in starting IT company Excel Soft in Mysuru 25 years ago, said a lot of things in the budget, including the proposal to develop Mysuru as an IT hub, were encouraging.

“Some startups are already receiving encouragement through the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), which is a good thing. But we will have to see how the new policies are implemented,” he said.

Bhaskar Kalale, former chairman of the Mysuru chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry, said so far, there is only an announcement.

“We have not yet received any details. This cannot be a short-term plan. It cannot be done immediately, isn’t it? Many existing industries are already suffering due to delay in expansion of the Mysuru airport. There is a need for a dedicated execution authority,” he said.

Kalale said, “A vision and framework are required for at least two decades. The population of Mysuru city and the neighborhood will drastically increase. People will not stop buying vehicles. How far can the roads be widened? How about the increased requirement for office buildings, schools, colleges and fiber optic dedicated Internet access (DIA) or managed enterprise broadband networks?”