APMC land proposed for TCS

APMC land proposed for TCS
Source: HDMC Website

In the wake of TCS company seeking allotment of over 50 acres of land to set up its unit in Hubli, Dharwad district administration is seriously contemplating to allot additional land held by Agricultural Producers' Marketing Committee (APMC) at Amargol on Hubli-Dharwad Road . A proposal to this effect has been sent to the state government for its nod.

Highly placed sources told Deccan Herald that the representatives of TCS company had already seen the land in APMC market yard at Amargol but they have not yet given their decision so far. In the present circumstances, there was no large tract land available on Hubli-Dharwad Road except the one in the sprawling APMC premises. Besides, the APMC owes crores of rupees to various agencies and it was badly in need of money.

The APMC authorities had already given their consent to dispose off additional land held by them for setting up of the IT based companies in their premises. But the government's permission was needed to sell that land to any private companies.

Bone of contention

The sources pointed out that the bone of contention was fixation of land price to sell that land. No company may agree to buy land at market price and it expects the government to give concession. It was to be seen whether the APMC authorities were ready to sell land at the rate fixed by the government.

Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) had fixed land rate for the both TCS and the Quest Companies at Rs 8 lakh per acre whereas actual market price was around Rs 10 lakh to 12lakh per acre. The corporation had kept land price intentionally in order to attract investment in IT/ITES in twin cities.

The sources noted that the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) plans to acquire around 150-200 acre in between Hubli and Dharwad cities. But it may take some time because of various procedures involved in it. In the present condition the only land readily available was in APMC premises.

The government's intervention was badly required in fixing land price that was agreeable and profitable to both the company as well as the APMC. The proposal to this effect had been sent to the secretary, Department of Information Technology so that it could take up at the government level.

In all probability, the government may take decision at the earliest before the company changes its mind. "All efforts are being made to convince the government to remove all hurdles so that the company could be allotted 50 acres of land as required by them".