It would take more than a one-day meet for the Karnataka government to turn Belagavi into a global technology hub, but Goa still needs to worry about its neighbour’s plans because the city is located between Mumbai and Bengaluru and close to Goa. In fact it is more centrally located than Goa and has 10,000 acres of industrial land and more waiting to be developed. Goa also has to worry because Belagavi does not have
the problems associated with starting a park or hub in Goa, which is, excessive debate and mindless opposition. Goa has been struggling to make the state an IT hub with little success. It has failed to launch a park and the one at Chimbel seems to be taking months, if not years, to materialise. The ESDM park at Tuem is still a work in progress and if Belagavi were to take
the lead, Goa would be the sufferer. The meet is expected to
draw big names in the IT and technology sectors and with Belagavi
on the way to becoming a smart city, Goa has a challenge
on its hands.
