The Karnataka government has deliberated on the conceptualisation of the development of Knowledge, Healthcare, Innovation, and Research (KHIR) City on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The government aims to attract ₹ 40,000 crore investment in the areas of healthcare, innovation, and knowledge sectors besides creating 80,000 jobs in the proposed KHIR City.
The new investment region will be spread over 2,000 acres within 60 kms from Bengaluru and developed in a phased manner. The proposed KHIR City is being developed to attract investments from leading global and national hospitals, research institutions, universities, and private companies.
This will help in strengthening Bengaluru’s position as a hub of medical tourism, providing employment to local people, and also help in attracting skill sets from across the globe, said the government.
M B Patil, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development said, “We are embarking on a transformative journey to build a city that goes beyond conventional boundaries — a KHIR City. The initiative has the potential to contribute atleast 1 lakh crore towards the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to increased economic activity.”
Biotech capital
With Karnataka being home to 60 per cent of India’s biotech companies and over 350 medical devices and supplies manufacturers across categories, the development of KHIR near Bengaluru, the fastest-growing innovation cluster globally, augurs as an ideal location. KHIR City is poised to redefine the city’s global position by fostering the growth of cutting-edge knowledge institutions, healthcare facilities, innovation hubs, and research centers, said the government.
Priyank Kharge, minister for IT/BT, and S&T said KHIR City will be the first such center of knowledge which will have innovators from healthcare, knowledge, and global research centers coming together in one place.
“Bengaluru will transform from being a call center of the world to a global center of research and innovation. The government is planning to come out with a separate policy to promote medical tourism in the state. The state is home to 350 medical devices and suppliers across categories and multiple institutes of excellence are present providing collaboration opportunities,” he added.