Bangalore, Sep. 2: The Minister for Transport and Muzurai, Ramalinga Reddy today underlined the challenges arising from U.S. tariff impositions on sectors such as textiles, engineering goods, and IT-enabled services. He expressed hope that the Union Government would announce incentives or relief measures, while assuring that the state government would continue to extend all possible support.
The Minister who gave awards to outstanding exporters, organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), highlighted Karnataka’s contribution to India’s export success. The state’s strengths are in IT, aerospace, biotechnology, coffee, textiles, and manufacturing. Karnataka recorded exports worth USD 159,019 million in FY 2024–25, securing the top position nationally, he mentioned.
“Exports are not just about foreign exchange earnings; they are about job creation, competitiveness, and India’s global positioning. Karnataka is proud of its exporters, and the state government remains a committed partner in their progress,” Reddy said while congratulating the award winners.
On state policies, Reddy defended the government’s guarantee schemes, stating that far from weakening fiscal discipline, they had injected over ₹96,000 crore into the economy, boosted GST collections, and increased women’s workforce participation by 23%.
As Transport Minister, he emphasized Karnataka’s ongoing efforts to modernize transport infrastructure, expand highways, enhance multimodal logistics parks, and strengthen rail connectivity to ports. He also cited the Shakti Scheme, now recognized in the Golden Book of World Records, as a transformative step in boosting public transport usage and reducing environmental stress.
The event was presided over by FKCCI Presidenti M. G. Balakrishna, along with President-elect Umareddy; Senior Vice President-elect T. Sairam Prasad, Immediate Past President Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, and Awards Committee Chairman Tippeshappa.
The Minister lauded FKCCI’s 109-year legacy, founded by Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya, as a bridge between government and industry. He congratulated Karnataka’s exporters, calling them “ambassadors of Brand Karnataka and Brand India on the global stage.”
