From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Belagavi, Dec 27: A township will be formed at the 967 acres of land unutilised by the Central Public Sector Undertaking Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) in Kolar Gold Fields.

This was announced by Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh R Nirani in the State assembly session in Belagavi on Tuesday.

Answering a question by Govidaraju, the minister said the State Government has sent a proposal on utilising the unused lands in the possession of BEML on April 28, 2022.

The State Government had allotted a 1,870.30 acres of land for establishing the Kolar Gold Fields to BEML. Out of this land, 971.33 acres of land remains unutilised and the government wants to take back the land, he said pointing out that the Kolar Deputy Commissioner had already issued the necessary orders.

A total of 13,000 acres of land had been handed over to BEML for establishing the gold mining operations in KGF. The government had asked Centre to return the excess land and initially, the Centre had promised to return 3,500 acres.

The Centre had agreed to return the 3,500 acres of land and subsequently encroachments in substantial portion of the land was noticed. When the matter was brought to the notice of the Centre, there was a reply from the Centre stating that it was willing to hand over the entire land if the State Government was willing to take over the debt burden of BEML.

However, when the State Government realised that the debt burden was more than the current market value of the land, the minister said the State Government felt there was no need to take the 3,500 acres at present.

But the State Government has now asked the Centre to release 967 acres of the unused land, which is presently under Revenue Department, for establishing the township, Nirani added.