Sify.com
 
Bangalore, Jan 30: The JD (S)-BJP government that comes into being in Karnataka on February 3 would be Information Technology-friendly and the coalition would address the infrastructure needs of the booming sector on a priority basis, deputy chief minister-designate B S Yediyurappa said.
 
"We are not against IT and BT (bio-technology) because the entire world is looking towards Karnataka and Bangalore (for software development and outsourcing). Whatever infrastructure and other development needs like land, power that they naturally need, we will give on priority; no doubt," Yediyurappa, who is tipped to get the Finance portfolio, told PTI in an interview on Monday.

While the government would give top priority to the requirements in the rural areas, that did not mean that it would neglect IT and BT, Yediyurappa, who was Opposition leader during the Dharam Singh government, said.

JD (S) supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda’s attack on Infosys Technologies Ltd and its chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy and land-grabbing allegations against some IT companies last year had created unease in the IT sector in Bangalore.

Speaking in general terms, Yediyurappa said any land-grabbing, corruption charges would have to be probed.

Yediyurappa expressed the view that the government would look at all possible ways to turn around loss-making state-owned undertakings, while disposing of unviable ones.