The Chief Minister inaugurating the store.
(Photo: Basavaraj S Bommai/Twitter)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday, 22 June, said leading Swedish home furnishing retailer IKEA has decided to invest about Rs 3,000 crore in the state.
CM Bommai at the store.
"The company has decided to invest about Rs 3,000 crore," Bommai said.
He had held preliminary talks in this regard with IKEA's CEO during his recent visit to Davos in Switzerland to participate in the World Economic Forum meeting.
Customers with the IKEA team at the store launch.
According to the company, IKEA has employed 1,000 co-workers with 72 percent local co-workers and plans to hire more people from the local neighbourhood.
The store also believes in empowering women and has seen women taking up jobs traditionally reserved for men, such as forklift driving, power stacking, assembly, and installation services, the company added.
IKEA was keen to launch their first outlet in Bengaluru, but it faced a few hiccups. The company has opened its outlet after struggling to get suitable land to set up the outlet, he added.
Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, Ambassador of Sweden Klas Molin, IKEA India CEO Susanne Pulverer were among others present at the inaugural.
Spread over 12.2 acres, the 4,60,000 sq. ft. IKEA Nagasandra store will feature more than 7,000 well-designed home furnishing products along with over 65 beautifully designed room sets for ideas and inspirations at home.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)