Friday, March 10 2006 14:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Blaming it on the 'ineffective'bureaucracy and 'very confused' ruling coalition in Karnataka, Biotech 'queen' Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw today(Mar 10,2006) said infrastructural woes were impeding the growth of Bangalore.

The Chairman and Managing Director of Biocon Ltd, India's largest bio-tech firm, also said future expansion of her company would not happen in Karnataka as the Government is not supporting the industry (in general).

India's richest businesswoman said Bangalore is no longer the 'venue of choice when it comes to at least showcasing India'.

"Today, Hyderabad, to some extent, had overtaken Bangalore. Even US President George W Bush went to Hyderabad (during his recent visit to India) didn't come to Bangalore..that was largely as a result of Bangalore's failing infrastructure", Mazumdar-Shaw told sources here in an interview.

She severely criticised the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition headed by Dharam Singh which collapsed earlier this year following withdrawal of support by the Kumaraswamy-led group and also attacked the bureaucracy in a strong language.

In cases where politicians are 'irresponsible' but bureaucracy is strong and effective, 'you see progress'.

"Here unfortunately, bureacracy seems to be as ineffective as the Government. You can almost say that one is almost complimenting the other kind. It's a serious situation", she said.

"If you don't have a bureacracy that's effective, it's very, very bad for a State", Mazumdar-Shaw said. "It's likely to continue. That's why I don't see hope".