FICCI Ladies Organisation (FICCI FLO) has inaugurated a women-led industrial park at Gauriibidanur in Chickballapur district.
This 50-acre infrastructure, cleared by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) and Karnataka Udyog Mitra (KUM), aims to lower long-standing entry barriers that have historically kept women, especially first-generation entrepreneurs, out of manufacturing and largescale enterprise, said the trade body.
Revathi Raju, head of the industrial park and former chairperson of FLO Bengaluru, said that the park represents a shift not just in infrastructure but in mindset. “For many women, owning an industry once felt like an impossible dream. What this park does is change that inner conversation. It tells women homemakers, professionals, first-time entrepreneurs that this space is meant for them too”.
Gauribidanur was deliberately chosen for its balance of connectivity with available infrastructure and long-term potential growth, while avoiding the overcrowding and restraints of Bengaluru’s saturated industrial zones, Ms. Raju said.
Soumya Reddy, former MLA, said that empowering women is crucial for reshaping Karnataka and India’s future. “Thanks to the State government’s bold strides in mobility, finance, and welfare, countless women, especially in rural centres, are breaking barriers,” she said.
M.V. Rajeev Gowda, former Rajya Sabha MP, said this initiative is expected to bring together women’s workforce participation and the national vision of strengthening manufacturing and creating jobs.
Dodda Basavaraju, managing director, Karnataka Udyog Mitra, said, “This initiative shows what is possible when government and industry bodies work with trust and intent. By backing a women-led industrial park, we are not only supporting entrepreneurship but also creating livelihoods and sustainable economic activity in emerging regions through employment generation”.
Published – February 04, 2026 11:07 pm IST
