States Major and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh R Nirani today said that discussions would be held later in this month with Mahindra and Mahindra, which has been invited by the State to establish a tractor manufacturing or any other automobile unit in Belgaum.
Have the leaders read the comments on the previous post, may it be anything but Belgaum should get this M & M plant. Pray for it Belgaumites.
Source: PTI

A team from the Karnataka government led by chief minister BS Yeddyurappa met the top officials of Hero Honda Motors to impress upon the two-wheeler maker to set up their manufacturing plant in the state.
Hero Honda team had visited the state and had shortlisted Hubli as one choice for its plant.
 In the meeting in Delhi the Hero Honda officials raised certain concerns regarding fiscal incentives that would be possible if they are looking at Karnataka as their destination for the manufacturing plant.
Hero Honda has proposed an investment of Rs 2,000 crore for the plant and the state government has shown them two sites — 500 acres in Hubli and 1,000 acres near Dharwad. The Karnataka government is keen on locating Hero Honda’s project in the Hubli-Dharwad area as it wants to turn this region into a automobile hub. Dharwad already houses Tata Marcopolo Motors, which manufactures buses, and Telcon Construction Equipment company.
 The Karnataka Govt. is very keen on developing Hubli Dharwad belt and always gives a thumbs down to Belgaum, and is that even the Karnataka govt. is thinking that Belgaum is in Maharashtra after a series of errors from the Vice president's office.
 The state govt. may it be of any party Belgaum always get bad treatment. Why cant the plan be in Belgaum district. The Belgaum foundry industry is being making automobile components for years and has gained it self a name in this field. Was the Hero Honda team even told that there is Belgaum nearby where also one can establish an industry. We lost the Kirloskar a 100 years ago, and Belgaum's losing fate is still on.
To be very frank if this is the state of affairs that will continue nothing is going to happen in Belgaum and this blog will keep on writing about this and you all will be reading about it.
The name of Belgaum or Brand Belgaum is unknown and that is the problem. Industrialists coming to a state should ask the govt. we would like to see Belgaum as a prospective place for an industry. When will this happen?
God bless Belgaum!
Source: ET

UFO Moviez and Crown Infotainment, the companies that have won the rights for in-theatre telecast of IPL-III, have run into a conflict with producers’ associations in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
IPL and UFO movies had planned to show live matches in single screens and multiplexes as well beginning march 12. The IPL 3 committee and UFO movies had struck deal with 629 theaters across India to show live matches.
In Belgaum CHITRA theater was also listed in the theaters list which was supposed to show the matches live but the The Kannada Film Producers Association has raised objection of screening the matches live in cinema halls. Kannada film producers, reeling under losses, have opposed the live telecast of IPL cricket matches in multiplexes. If multiplexes and single screens show IPL matches then the screens available for showing Kannada movies will be very less.
As of today still it is uncertain whether Live matches will be shown in Belgaum or no. So the IPL fans planning to enjoy the matches like in the stadium will be dis heartened for sure.

It was a Wednesday in 1920 when the first branded iron plough came out from the Factory of Kirloskar's at Kirloskarwadi (Maharashtra) will turn 90.
The township of the Kirloskars — as the word literally means — was set up near Kolhapur in 1910 March 10 as Maharashtra’s second and the country’s third such project. Its a 100 hundred year legacy of the Kirloskar's and the company has not deferred paying dividend even for a single year from 1937.
The Kirloskar Saga began from Belgaum and if in 1910 and if Laxmanrao had not been ousted from Belgaum may be Belgaum would have been a different place. T he civic authorities then annexed their land and The Raja of Aundh, near Kolhapur, Pant Pratinidhi, offered land in his fiefdom: 32 barren acres, inhabited by snakes, where the only vegetation left was cactii.
Read the complete story on Kirloskar posted earlier- Kirloskar success story roots from Belgaum

If the then civic authorities had not ousted the Kirloskar's from Belgaum, the 100 year legacy would have been created in Belgaum and today Belgaum would have been a different place. May what you want to say but it is our sheer bad luck. Till today now is interested in coming and setting up shop here.

By Satish Kumar
Veer Rani Kittur Channama  PG centre is based in Belgaum (in fact quite outside Belgaum at Bhutramatti) , where as Belgaum deserved to be having an independent university, though having largest number of colleges compared to any district in Northern Karnataka with Head Quarter of  KLE society running alone around 160 institutions and other education societies such as PEST and SKE .
Yesterday students of PG centre with support from All India Student council locked out the campus demanding it for an independent university as VCU and no Public representative or district official have even come forward to check this cause and concern or meet the students.
Belgaum was supposed to be having a University back in 1980 it self  but again the border dispute hindered  this progress and vested interest of the Hubli-Dharwad Politicians always stalled Belgaum development to maintain their clout over north Karnataka, this is always being a true fact in many other matters, Belgaum is always being on loosing ends and the recent menace being moving the education divisional office form Belgaum to Dharwad  by Basavaraj Horratti, our public representatives so called MP and MLA’s kept sleeping over such issue.
The last Vice Chancellor at PG centre has recently announced about making PG centre as independent university and supporting all viable conditions that can be met over, has unfortunately gone off records so far, except Mr. Prakash Hukkeri no one came forward in supporting this cause then. I had sent blue print for Belgaum to CM, which also include the design and developmental aspect of Veer Rani Channama University to be based in Belgaum, it was forwarded to the concerned department no action initiated yet. I believe the present education Minister Mr. Arvind Limbavli belongs to North Karnataka, in the recent years Tumkur, Davengere Shimoga and Bellary got Universities and also central university at Gulbarga and open university at Mysore , though  the number of collages and educational establishment reach the number of institutions in Belgaum alone. So the question arises is what right does the State Mystery of education has got to deprive Belgaum having an independent university? During Kumarswamy’s CM’s tenure Mahima Patel (Son of former Cm J H Patel) was representative of Karnataka in New Delhi and had got proposals from American university to be established in Belgaum it never metalized further.
I have listed few demands which students want and I fully endorse their views:
VCU as an independent University should begin its operation form this academic year.
Transfer back the Education divisional office back to Belgaum
Better transport facility to VCU from different parts of City not hopping from CBT.
Recreation centre and other facility with new Administrative building with ergonomic architecture not shabby structure available there.
New educational study zone for future IIM and IIT can be based already many colleges have sprawled in this area , I believe this vision goes live if the voices of Belgaumites goes high and get heard.

For a greener tomorrow the Cantonment board of Belgaum has decided to ban the use of plastic bags from March 15, 2010.
From that day loose plastic bags will not be available for sale or distribution. Products like milk, biscuits which come pre packed in plastics will be allowed.
 
The most important point here is to see how this ban is implemented with limited resources of the board and limited staff.
The ban on use of plastics is a welcome measure but how it is implemented is the biggest question.

The king of fruit the Mango is here in town from Ratnagiri and Konkan areas. The Alphonso (Hapus) is now being sold at Rs. 400 to 700 for a 2 dozen box.
 
A week ago when the first lot was received the prices were about Rs.1000 to 1200 for a 2 dozen box. The prices will come down again once as more and more stocks start coming in.
The fruit market is adrift with other fruits as well like grapes, watermelons, sweet lime, oranges.

Calling it a “simple error” the university officials say MBA degrees were issued to students who had failed was due to a software problem.
15 students were issued MBA degrees on the VTU convocation held in January 2010 who had actually failed and all this has come out after an RTI application by U Gautham.
VTU authorities describe the gaffe as “not a serious matter” but a “simple error”.
Blaming it all on the software the VTU has asked all the 15 students in question to return the degrees, but the RTI applicant has filed an case in the police.
VTU officials say that, software failed to show “failed” status.
A letter was sent by the Registrar (Evaluation) S.A. Kori on February 8, after a gap of one month after the degrees were awarded, stated: “You are hereby informed to surrender the degree certificate to the office undersigned immediately, which was sent to you through speed post.” The letters do not mention why the candidate should surrender the certificate.

This “simple error” now raises questions in the mind of the students that if this is the state of affairs of a technological university of the state, what about other colleges and universities.
Source: The Hindu

The auto Expo organised by Lions club of Belgaum Tilakwadi and Yash communication was inaugurated by Mr.Sanjay Ghodavat at 5.30pm at the Sardars Ground.





The auto expo will be open for public from 10 am to 9pm from 5 march to 9 march.
The Auto Expo is the first annual Automobile Expo being held in north Karnataka in association with Lions Club of Belgaum - Tilakwadi and Yash Communication (A Event Management Company). The Auto Expo will run from 5 to 9 March 2010. The event has been supported by Govt.of India's MSME Dept., Govt. of Karnataka's District Industries Center DIC & Govt. of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Here is the first and fastest look for all you. All photos UkMaD.

After the hike and no relief from the union budget the state budget will take away more than that will remain with you.
1% Hike in VAT from the next Financial year
Life time tax for cars and bikes to go up
13% Tax on vehicles priced above 5 Lakhs
15% Tax on Tobacco products.
Luxury tax increased
VAT rate 4% increased to 5% on all goods except declared goods.
VAT rate of 12.5% increased to 13.5%
VAT rate of 12.5% on tobacco products increased
to 15%.
Levy of VAT on tobacco products on MRP basis.
some exceptions

Tax on Masala Powder Mixtures, Macaroni, Sports Trophies, Shields and Medals, all kinds of scrap,
Electric generators of less than 15 KVA, railway concrete sleepers, school bags costing up to Rs
200, reduced from 12.5 % to 5 %.
The minimum annual turnover limit for registration increased from Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs. 5 lakhs.
The maximum annual turnover limit for opting for Composition Tax Payment Scheme increased from Rs.15 lakhs to Rs.25 lakhs.
Annual turnover limit for compulsory audit of accounts of dealers increased from Rs.40 lakhs to
Rs.60 lakhs.
Optional scheme for dealers in medicines to pay tax based on the MRP even on sale of other goods.

What Belgaum gets:

An amount of Rs.10 crore will be provided for establishing new chilling plants in Gulbarga and Belgaum divisions.
An amount of Rs.5 crore will be provided for establishing a veterinary college in the name of Shri Bhaurao Deshpande at Athani in Belgaum district.
Infrastructure facilities of the Karnataka Sugar Institute at Belgaum will be improved. This institute will be named after the late Sri S. Nijalingappa.
Necessary action has been initiated for developing airports with private participation in tier-two cities of the State, like Belgaum, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bellary and Shimoga.
The World Kannada Conference scheduled to be held during the last year was postponed due to various Budget 2010 – 11. It is proposed to hold the same on a grand scale in Belgaum during 2010-11. An amount of Rs.10 crore will be provided for this purpose.
Rs.2 crore will be provided for construction of Kannada Samskruthi Bhavana at Belgaum.
To complete the Suvarna Soudha construction work in Belgaum, which is progressing fast, Rs.150 crore is being provided during 2010-11.