‘We need govt keen on business growth’

‘We need govt keen on business growth’
Mini Joseph Tejaswi | TNN

Bangalore: Karnataka Inc awaits a strong, stable and more importantly a single-party government, as it believes only such an administration can bring the state back on the growth path.
Trade and business in the state have been witnessing a significant amount of de-growth for some years now, more so in the last couple of quarters. “We are no more interested in being spectators of political buffoonery and high-drama. We need a government which is serious, businessaware and has genuine interest in urban and rural growth alike. We need ministers who are interested in executing development schemes,’’ says the CEO of a large tech firm who did not want to be named.
T V Mohandas Pai, head (education & training) in Infosys Technologies, says, “Karnataka has lost out to other states on various counts of economic growth in the last five years. What we look forward to is a government that is keen to push business growth. We need a strong government that can successfully complete its tenure. The experience with coalition has been bad for us so far. Hope, this time around, we make the right choice.’’
The industry strongly feels that the new government should be capable of taking quick and effective decisions on socio-economic development issues. “The new government, irrespective of its political identity and standing, should realize that the actual impact of political in-decision and inaction that happened in the past is going to be evident only after a year or so. Also, they should be aware that other states have been continuously investing a lot of energy and effort to attract investors,’’ says Rajiv Mody, CEO, Sasken Communications
“What we require is an authority that can bring in progressive growth to the state. It needs a lot of commitment and constant focus and only a single-party government can do it,’’ says Gautham Pai, MD, Manipal Group.
According to a recent report on Karnataka by FICCI, the state’s economic growth has witnessed a decline. The economy grew 10.7% in 2004-05 and this slipped to 7.8% in 2005-06. The share of agriculture to state GDP has come down from 34% in 1994-94 to 20% in 2005-06.
“The state needs a bunch of politicians and bureaucrats who can think progressively and positively. We want a government with a non-fractured mandate. We also want a healthy opposition so that the functioning of the machinery is balanced,’’ Ravi Puravankara, CMD of Puravankara Projects, said.
NEW GOVERNMENT SHOULD FOCUS ON
Infrastructure Education, skill development, employment creation Agriculture Inclusive social growth Good governance