Govt may unveil aerospace policy soon after winter session

An aerospace policy aimed at attracting global investments and making Bangalore a major aerospace hub in South Asia may be unveiled by the government immediately after the assembly winter session at Belgaum.

"We have an aerospace policy, which may be announced immediately after the Belgaum winter session. We are scheduling it. It is ready," Principal Secretary (Industry) M N Vidyashankar told reporters here.

He said government had taken inputs from all stakeholders in the aerospace sector before framing it and claimed Karnataka was the first state to announce such a policy.

Vidyashankar said Karnataka would become the largest knowledge hub in the world. "It may not happen in two or five or ten years, but it will happen," he said.

He also said no other city can beat Bangalore as a 'knowledge city' as it boasts of 396 Research & Development laboratories. Cities like National Capital Region and Pune boast of only 107 and 103 laboratories respectively, he said.

"Twenty years down the line, the world will depend on India and Karnataka for high-end manpower," Vidyashankar said.

On the progress on Aerospace Park near Bangalore International Airport, he said three units are almost ready and one of them would launch production on January 25 2013.

"About seven to eight companies have already started construction," he added.

Karnataka expects close to about six to seven billion dollars with every major aviation player under one roof at the aerospace park.

Vidyashankar said government plans to have the ground breaking ceremony of infrastructure developer Sun Forest City's project in March 2013.

"We are meeting them almost every week. They should be in a position to give us project details by December end," he said.

Sun Forest City have identified land and landowners have willingly agreed to surrender the land, he said, adding the land would be acquired in phases."