Belagavi’s developmental focus was in full display as the city hosted the three-day ‘Vision Karnataka 2025’ mega exhibition, inaugurated at the KLE Centenary Convention Centre. Organised under the leadership of MP Jagadish Shettar, the event drew over 5,000 visitors on its opening day, offering a glimpse into central government schemes and initiatives through nearly 60 stalls by departments and public sector undertakings, including RBI, DRDO, and BIS.
Speaking at the event, MP Shettar echoed the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, stating that a similar roadmap is being prepared for Belagavi. He also announced plans to advocate for a public limited company dedicated to defence manufacturing in the region, suggesting that approximately 700 acres of revenue land, still under defence control despite lease expiry, could be utilised. “I intend to meet the Defence Minister to pursue this matter,” he stated.
Leaders, including MLA Abhay Patil and Prabhakar Kore, hailed the expo as a ‘knowledge fair’, encouraging students to take advantage of the rare educational opportunity. Several dignitaries, including sitting and former legislators and civic leaders, marked their presence, signalling strong regional support for such initiatives.
Parallel to this push for development, Belagavi-based Sahyadri Multi-Purpose Cooperative Credit Society is on track to cross a ₹400 crore business mix, even as it grapples with legacy non-performing assets. The society’s leadership attributed ongoing recovery challenges to restrictive policies governing multi-state cooperative credit institutions, stressing the need for regulatory reforms.
Despite these hurdles, the society reported deposits of ₹227 crore and loans worth ₹157 crore for the financial year ending March 2025, posting a net profit of ₹1.35 crore. The board emphasized its cautious financial approach, noting that depositors are vetted, and premature withdrawals from fixed or recurring deposits are only allowed in genuine emergencies to maintain financial discipline.
Current gross NPA stands at around 23%, with net NPA at 13%. The management aims to bring this down to 10% through targeted efforts. The cooperative currently offers loans up to ₹1.3 crore, and has proposed raising the ceiling to ₹3 crore, pending regulatory approval. It also provides unsecured loans ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh.
Operating 13 branches at present, the society plans to add four more soon. With a working capital base of ₹243 crore, paid-up share capital of ₹2.21 crore, and reserves of ₹18 crore, Sahyadri continues to assert its presence in Karnataka’s cooperative sector.
Together, the exhibition and Sahyadri’s expansion reflect Belagavi’s dual track of promoting both knowledge and grassroots financial empowerment.
