Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reaches out to Infosys, industry

BENGALURU: Software major Infosys is not pulling out of Karnataka on its proposed software development centre project, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said today as he reached out to the industry seeking to dispel the impression that the state was becoming less friendly.

"Infosys, in its letter, have written that they will like to set up a software development centre project at Electronic City from Devanahalli IT Park citing lack of infrastructure. They are not going out of Karnataka," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

The Chief Minister had convened a high-level meeting of officials related to industry particularly in the backdrop of complaints by IT industry about lack of infrastructure and fresh attempts by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to attract more investment.

In a regulatory filing, Infosys had asked the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to refund the deposit for land it had paid. Infosys had plans to build a development centre on 100 acres at the Devanahalli IT Park.

Siddaramaiah said all the demands, including upgradation of two-lane connectivity from express highway to airport till Infosys at Devanahalli IT Park to four-lane, would be completed in next three months.

"There has been a delay in meeting the demands of not only Infosys but also other companies. Their demands including upgradation of two-lane expressway to four-lanes will be completed in next three months," he said.

The government will also complete work on providing water and power to the Devanahalli IT Park in next three months, Siddaramaiah said.

Also, the IT department is ready to give the remaining 60 acres of land earmarked for Infosys to set up their project at Devanahalli, Siddaramaiah said.

"If all these facilities are given to them, there are more chances of Infosys continuing at the current location," Siddaramaiah said.