Karnataka has received in principle approval from the Centre for setting up a special economic zone across its three coastal districts.
"We have got in principle approval for setting up a SEZ at the three coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada which lie across our border between Kerala to Goa," Karnataka minister for large and medium industries R V Deshpande told reporters in Mumbai on Thursday night.
The state government has decided to focus on the region in terms of economic and industrial development and attract investments in sectors including tourism, agro-horticultre, IT and biotechnology, food processing, and non-polluting industries, he said, adding, SEZ was available for private sector participation and development.
He said the state has recently enacted the Karnataka Industries (Facilitation) Act 2002 under which it has nominated Udyog Mitra as the nodal agency to obtain all approvals on behalf of the entrepreneurs.
The Act also provides for a time-bound approval, under which projects not granted approval from authorities within 35 days, would get automatic approval.
Deshpande said the state was also planning to promote the tourism industry in a big way and would develop the ecologically sustainable model of development.
Karnataka was also trying to spread the IT industry from its nucleus in Bangalore to other regions such as Mangalore and Hubli by building infrastructure there.
To attract investment, a coastal zone investors' meet would be held on December 20-21 in Karwar, he added.