Mr Arjun M Ranga, Chairman, CII Karnataka & Managing Director, N Ranga Rao & Sons Pvt Ltd and Mr Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Vice Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council and Managing Director, Kennametal India Ltd, the elected leadership for CII Karnataka State 2022-23 during a media interaction highlighted five key priorities of CII for the State of Karnataka– Policy Advocacy, MSME Engagement, Startups, Industry Institute Interaction and Beyond Bengaluru.
Commemorating the 75th year of India’s independence, CII’s theme for 2022-23 is India@75: Karnataka – Accelerating Transformation through Innovation & Inclusion focussing on theme enablers like enhancing Policy Advocacy and Government interventions, driving sectoral and functional competitiveness, and enhancing membership services leveraging strengths of Zone and districts.
“As a part of our agenda this year, CII has been working closely with the Karnataka Government on key growth areas such as, ease of doing business, taxation policies, adoption of clean energy and alternative fuels, skilling and up-skilling initiatives as well as driving industrial growth beyond Bengaluru and development of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities”, said Mr. Arjun Ranga. Further elaborating on the MSME segment, Mr. Arjun said, “MSME engagement being a key focus area, CII Karnataka has been extensively promoting growth and development for MSMEs as well as converging on policy related interventions.”
The membership engagement plans highlighted enhancing competitiveness and enabling growth with a key focus on sustainability for the industry. This would be further supported through engagements with CII’s specialised services delivered by its 10 Centres of Excellence, international market development initiatives and exposing member companies to industry best and good practises on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Speaking to media persons, Mr. Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan said, “Industry Institute Interaction has been initiated as a new engagement plan, considering the membership strength of Karnataka, with institutes contributing to 10% of the overall membership and the need to build greater engagement between industry and academia to equip the youth with future-ready work and business skills.”
CII has been working with the Government of Karnataka on areas like Labour Codes, through IR experts, lobbying constantly for an effective and smooth implementation, which is expected to be rolled out shortly. Decriminalisation under various acts will be another focus area under Policy advocacy for the state as this being a National agenda, to decriminalise minor offences and enhance ease of doing business. CII proactively engages with various stakeholders including international consulates for business opportunities and initiatives like catalysing job creation through career fairs & internships and enhance sectoral competitiveness through focussed interventions such as the CII Indian Women Network and CII Young Indians.