Karnataka's only weakness is entrepreneurship quality; govt to conduct special drive to improve: CM

New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the state’s only weakness is its entrepreneurship skill quality which the government has recognised and will conduct a special drive, and stressed the need to bring a regional balance in industrial development.

Addressing a virtual event by industry chamber CII, Bommai said the state during the early 1950s till 1970s had laid a strong foundation not only in terms of manufacturing units but also in skills, foriegn collaboration and research and development (R&D).

Bengaluru boasts of having maximum R&D in public and private sectors in the entire country, right from ISRO, HEL, BHEL and a host of pharma companies, he said.

However, there is a need to improve the entrepreneurship quality in the state and bring regional balance in industrial development, he added.

“I believe strongly that my people should be enriched… First is to increase the entrepreneurship quality in my state and second is to bring in the regional balance which is not there. I want industry to be in far flung and all parts of the state,” the chief minister said.

Therefore, the state government is trying to get different clusters in north Karnataka. In fact, it is trying to set up a pharma cluster, the biggest in the country, he said, adding that the state has a new industry policy in place, he said.

The chief minister, however, said, “Our only weakness is our entrepreneurship skills (that) has to be improved, which we have recognised and we will have a special drive.”

The state government is ready to visit other countries to learn from their experience, he said.

He also remembered his predecessor B S Yediyurappa and said he was “very fair to the industry” and was for pro-industrial growth.

Bommai took oath as the chief minister on July 28 after the resignation of his predecessor B S Yediyurappa on July 26.