According to a senior official, around 12 companies of the $70-billion Tata Group have shown keen interest in making investment in Karnataka and help expand infrastructure.

Mr. V. P. Baligar, Industries and Commerce Principal Secretary, said, "A delegation of Tata firms has evinced interest in housing, hospitality and steel sectors. We have approved a proposal from Tata Metaliks to set up a steel plant at Haveri in central Karnataka and offered land to the group for housing projects at different locations in the state."

In the run-up to the Global Investors' Meet (GIM 2010) June 3-4, the Tata delegation headed by Tata Steel vice-chairman B. Muthuraman held talks with Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh R. Nirani and representatives to discover what the state administration was offering to potential investors.

The Tata Housing Development Co has shown interest in replicating its Nano housing model in the state that provides budget flats for around Rs 400,000.

Mr. Baligar said, "We have agreed to offer land at various places, including Devanahalli and Doddaballaupur near Bangalore, Dharwad in the northern region and Mysore and Harohalli in the southern region."

Tata Power has shown interest to make investment in gas-based power facility located at Gadag, Belgaum or Davanagere in the northern region of the state.

The state administration has also offered to allocate land anywhere in the state for any Tata group project.

The state high level clearance group has already authorized the plan of Tata Elxsi to strengthen its software development park in Bangalore.

Representatives of Tata Sons Ltd, Tata Housing Development Company Ltd, Tata Communications, Tata Power, Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd, Tata Steel Ltd, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata International Ltd, Tata Chemicals Ltd, Tata Docomo and Indian Hotels Company Ltd also took part in the talks. (With Inputs from Agencies)