Taking exception to the delay in making the Infosys campus in Hubballi functional, Aam Admi Party (AAP) has sought the intervention of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology C.N. Ashwath Narayan.
A delegation of the AAP led by president of Dharwad district unit Santosh Naragund and others met Mr. Ashwath Narayan at Hubballi Airport and appealed to him to take the required steps to make the Infosys campus functional.
Apprising the Minister of the facilities available on Infosys campus in Hubballi, Mr. Naragund told him that 43 acres of land acquired from farmers was given to Infosys eight years ago and the campus was ready three years ago. They said that in November 2020, AAP submitted a memorandum to him through Hubballi tahsildar regarding the delay in Infosys campus becoming functional in Hubballi. Subsequently, the Additional Chief Secretary directed Karnataka Biotechnology and Information Technology Services (KBITS) to look into the issue.
Thereafter, the Managing Director of KBITS had written to vice-president (Head, Infrastructure) of Infosys Limited Neeladri Prasad on January 28, 2021 to take steps to begin operations on the company’s Hubballi campus. However, there had been no response from the company on the issue even after two months and the State government too has not issued any statement, Mr. Naragund told the Minister. Referring to the recent announcement made by Infosys regarding setting up a campus in Hyderabad with an investment of ₹2,500 crore to provide employment to 20,000 IT professionals, Mr. Naragund asked the Minister to intervene to make the already existing campus in Hubballi functional so that the government’s policy of “Beyond Bengaluru” did not remain just on paper.
Later, speaking to presspersons, Mr. Ashwath Narayan said that he will definitely take up the matter with all those concerned. He said that task forces for promoting tier-2 and tier-3 cities were already being set up and for Dharwad too, a task force had been set up. He said that he would convene a meeting in Hubballi on all issues relating to IT and development of IT Park in Hubballi-Dharwad and others.
Mr. Naragund told presspersons that they would pursue the matter with the department concerned.