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Minister M.B. Patil holds meeting with stakeholders of Mysuru industrial organisations Mysore/Mysuru: Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil said that the tax collected from industries will be used for local infrastructure development and the State Government is committed for development of industrial areas. He was speaking after presiding over a meeting of stakeholders and office-bearers of various industrial organisations and associations at Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Office yesterday. Stating that Karnataka should become a model industrial State, Patil said that the Government is working in that direction. “The Congress Government has taken measures for development of roads and other infrastructure in industrial areas. Earlier, the tax collected from industries was used by the concerned Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies for other purposes. However, from now on, this tax will be used only for local infrastructure development under SIR (Special Investment Regions) scheme. This will help in providing better civic amenities and enhanced infrastructure,” he maintained. Himmavu land row Referring to the row over compensation for acquired land in Himmavu industrial area, Patil said there were complaints that eligible farmers who parted with their lands for Himmavu industrial area in Nanjangud taluk, have not been paid appropriate compensation. He directed Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy to conduct a probe into the lapses and submit a report in this regard. Patil further assured that due to the delay in allotment of land, implementation period will be extended for industries. Rs. 8,884 crore industrial investment in Mysuru Continuing, the Minister said that clearance has been given for Rs. 8,884 crore industrial investment in Mysuru. Asserting that this will lead to creation of over 10,000 jobs, he said that establishment of industries will be approved and all other process will be completed. Noting that the deadline for establishment of industries will be extended if there is any process delay on the part of the Government, he said that the implementation period will begin only after full clearance is given. This policy is applicable throughout the State, he added. Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) President K.B. Lingaraju said that roads are in very bad shape in KIADB industrial areas and repeated appeals in this regard to authorities have gone in vain. Stating that industries are paying taxes to Hootagalli CMC, he said though the CMC has invited tenders for road repair works, it has been kept pending. Maintaining that industries are not allotted plots even after payment of money for the same way back in 2013, he flagged poor bus connectivity to Hebbal industrial area and urged the authorities to provide proper bus connectivity. He also appealed for constructing a flyover at Manipal Hospital junction on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway to address traffic problems. Mysuru Industries Association (MIA) President P. Vishwanath, General Secretary Suresh Kumar Jain and other industrialists raised concerns that though lands have been allotted for industries in Himmavu industrial area in Nanjangud taluk, it has become difficult for establishment of industries in several of these plots because of non- co-operation of farmers. Pointing out that about 50 farmers who parted with their lands are yet to receive compensation, they demanded a 3-year extension of deadline for establishment of industries. Release Rs. 2 cr. grant for Mysuru Export Centre Noting that 76 acres in Adakanahalli industrial area is yet to be handed over to KIADB, the MIA reps argued that establishment of industries can happen once this is done. They also wanted the Government to release Rs. 2 crore grant for Mysuru Export Centre and to identify space for dumping yard and also to construct a truck terminal in industrial areas. Farmer leaders, including KRRS office-bearer Hoskote Basavaraj, who too attended the meeting, said that after the Government acquired land for formation of Himmavu industrial area, it released Rs.18 crore as compensation to land loser farmers, out of which 448 land losers have been paid compensation. But what is concerning is that most of these beneficiary farmers are ineligible for compensation and the fact is that the actual land loser farmers are not paid compensation, which issue the Government needs to address soon. They also claimed that the family members of land loser farmers have not been given jobs in industries. MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Principal Secretary of Commerce and Industries Dr. S. Selvakumar, Industries and Commerce Department Commissioner Gunjan Krishna, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) CEO Dr. M. Mahesh, Kadakola Industries Association General Secretary Ramakrishnegowda, industrialists Sam Cherian, Channakeshava, A.S. Satish and others were present.
