From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 13: Formally taking charge as the State’s large and medium industries minister Murugesh R Nirani on Friday announced that a plan for reviving sick state undertakings and development corporations has been drawn up.
Cement Corporation Ltd at Kalaburgi, Mysugar factory in Mandya, Mysore Paper Mills are some of the State funded undertakings and several development corporations are incurring heavy losses and plans to revamp these undertakings has been drawn up, he said.
Speaking to reporters in his office in Vidhana Soudha, he said he has already discussed the issue of reviving some of the State undertakings with the Union ministers concerned in Delhi and has sought their support in implementing the revival plans.
Nirani made it clear that efforts will be made to ensure that none of the industries in the State were forced to close and all necessary support for ensuring their functioning round the clock will be provided. The objective to create an industrial job revolution by utilising the State’s resources, he said.
Invest Karnataka 2021 may be postponed
The minister indicated that the Invest Karnataka 2021 planned to be held in February next year might be postponed on account of the present Covid pandemic situation.
A final decision on whether to go ahead with the Invest Karnataka 2021 in February as planned or to postpone it will be taken after discussing with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, he said.
Industries cannot divert lands
Nirani said the entrepreneurs, who had obtained land from the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) for setting up industries, will not be allowed to divert the land for any other purpose.
He said officials have been asked to conduct surveys to find out if any of the lands granted by KIADB has been diverted and misused. A suitable inquiry will be conducted and swift action will be taken, the minister said pointing out that KIADB has not executed any sale deeds for such land grants.
The Minister said more than 3,000 acres of land was available near Kolar Gold Fields in Kolar district for establishing industries.
In KGF, as much as 40 grams of gold could be extracted from a tonne of ore earlier and the yield has drastically come down to make it unviable. Besides, officials have submitted survey reports indicating that there were no gold deposits in about 3,200 acres of land. In view of this situation, the State Government has requested the Union Government to return the land to Karnataka for setting industrial clusters and create townships, he said.
Nirani recalled the investments of over Rs 11.8 lakh crore generated during the Invest Karnataka mela organised by the State during his earlier tenure and creation of 15 lakh job opportunities. He also mentioned the several measures taken under his leadership and announced that he will organise industrial adalats in the districts and provide support for young entrepreneurs for taking up new ventures and start-ups.
The 21 acres of land available in the Mysore Lamps factory, which has been closed, is proposed to be developed as a theme park.
The Minister asked the officials to get down to work and not to delay any projects. Laxity and delays will not be tolerated, he said.