Dakshina Kannada district has shown interest in establishing a pharmaceutical park in the State, according to Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader.
Speaking to presspersons after chairing a meeting with the officials of the district administration in this regard in Mangaluru on Thursday, Khader said that he had met the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Ananth Kumar, recently, urging him to set up a pharmaceutical park in the State.
Kumar had asked the Karnataka Government to provide at least 100 acres of land to set up such a park in the State.
Khader said that the Dakshina Kannada district administration will forward a proposal to set up such a park at Mudipu near Mangaluru. Around 170 acres of industrial land are available at Kanara Industrial Area at Mudipu, he said.
Various pharmaceutical companies can set up their units in the pharmaceutical park, if the Centre grants such a park to Mangaluru, he said.
After getting the proposal from the Dakshina Kannada district administration, the State Government will take steps to forward it to the Centre for further action.
To a query on the likely job opportunities in the proposed pharmaceutical park, Khader said that around 2,000 people will get jobs if the Centre grants such a park to Mangaluru.
He directed the officials of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board to improve infrastructure at Kanara Industrial Area at Mudipu.
AB Ibrahim, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, said that a proposal suggesting Mudipu area near Mangaluru for the establishment of the pharmaceutical park will be forwarded to the State Government in a week.
There will be no delay or lapses on the part of the district administration in forwarding the proposal to the state government, he said.