New industrial policy in a month, says Minister
Staff Correspondent - The HIndu
Land lying unutilised for 10 years to be taken back
Global investors’ meet to be held on January 15, 16
MYSORE: Minister for Major and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani on Friday said that the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had been asked to take back the lands allotted to entrepreneurs in industrial estates if they had not established industries on them even after 10 years of allotment.
The board had been directed to re-allot such lands to entrepreneurs willing to set up industries within two years of the allotment.
Mr. Nirani said the KIADB had been directed to identify lands devoid of industrial development and issue notices to the owners to handover them to the board.
“We shall not entertain explanation from them. Even political influence on the matter will not be considered. If industries have not come up on the land allotted purely for industrial purpose even after 10 years, there is no point in allowing them to hold the land,” the Minister told a press conference here.
The new industrial policy would announced in a month, Mr. Nirani said and added that a lot of reforms were being introduced in consultation with captains of industries to develop Karnataka as a “preferred hub for industries”. The move to take back “undeveloped land” in industrial areas was one of the highlights of the policy.
“Since the policy is almost ready for introduction, we have initiated measures such as taking back undeveloped industrial land as a step to boost industrial growth,” he said.
The Minister said that industrial bodies had given valuable suggestions after perusing the draft of the policy. “The feedback has been good and opinion of almost all industrial sectors has been taken into consideration,” Mr. Nirani said and added that the policy had been influenced by industrial policies of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Nirani announced that a global investors’ convention would be held in Bangalore on January 15 and 16.“We are expecting investments to the tune of Rs. 2 lakh crore,” he said. After the Bangalore convention, such meetings would be organised in tier-II cities such as Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum and Mangalore.
Industrial corridors
He said that industrial corridors were being developed between Chennai and Mumbai via Bangalore, Tumkur, Davangere and Chitradurga; between Bangalore and Bidar via Bellary; between Bangalore and Mangalore via Hassan; between Chitradurga and Bijapur, and between Gulbarga and Belgaum.
To accelerate industrial growth in Mysore, 3,000 acres of dry land had been identified between Managanagalli and Jayapura on Manandawadi Road for acquisition. An action plan had been prepared to create a land bank there. “Farmers will get satisfactory relief package for their land,” Mr. Nirani said.
