Priority given only to applications from the Head Office of the Department of Industry and Commerce

Mysore/Mysuru: It is alleged that the District Industries Centre (DIC) which is supposed to provide self-employment opportunities to unemployed youths is in a dormant state, thereby dashing the hopes of self-employment aspirants for the last five years.

It is believed that about 90 percent of self-employment aspirants, who had applied for land and other facilities from District Industries Centre are being made to wait for the last five years unsure about the fate of their pending applications.

In all, 451 applications were received during 2017-18; 63 in 2018-19; 376 in 2019-20, 191 in 2020-21 and 74 applications in 2021-22 totalling 1,155 applications, which were submitted to the DIC. Out of the total 1,155 applications, only 10 percent have been selected as beneficiaries and were allotted industrial plots in Kadakola, Tandya, Koorgalli, Adakanahalli and Himmavu industrial areas developed by Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) which is also authorised to allot plots.

According to the size of the plots, SC/ST community applicants have deposited 10 percent of the land cost and other community applicants have paid 30 percent of the land cost and are still waiting.                              

Project applications below Rs. 15 crore and with a land requirement below 2 acre are scrutinised and selected for land allotment by a ‘Sub-Committee’  under the Chairmanship of DIC Joint Director and a ‘District Single Window Committee’ headed by the Deputy Commissioner. The   selected applications are then forwarded to the KIADB.

But it is alleged that the applications received from DIC are being put in cold storage and instead, applications received from the Department of Industries and Commerce Head Office are given priority and even lands are being allotted, giving the impression that the DIC exists only for namesake.

It is learnt that during the last 4-5 years neither the Department of Industries and Commerce nor the DIC have given any land to applicants who have applied for half acre or one acre. Non-availability of land, problems from the farmers are the excuses being given by KIADB in this connection

 Speaking to Star of Mysore, SC/ST Industrialists Association Zonal President R. Manjunath said,  “The applications which come through Karnataka Udyoga Mitra in the Department of Industries and Commerce Head Office  premises seeking five acre land are being allotted lands  at a brisk pace where as applications received from DIC are being neglected completely.”

“Hundreds of applicants have paid money to KIADB and are waiting for the lands to be allotted. The Government is only coining and campaigning slogans like ‘Udyami Aagu, Udyoga Needu’ but is not providing opportunities to self-employment seekers in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts. Even compensation to the lands acquired are not paid to farmers and litigations are going on for the last 10-15 years,” Manjunath added.

Reacting over the allegations,  Mysuru DIC Joint Director Dinesh told SOM that land allotments for projects are made on two considerations. Projects of over 15 crore and involving 2 acres of land and projects below Rs. 15 crore and requiring below 2 acre land. “Applications which come under the first category entirely comes under the discretion of the Department of Industry and Commerce Head Office, the second category, where projects below Rs.15 crore and below 2 acre land requirement  will be at the discretion of DIC and here also, only 25 percent are selected and the remaining 75 percent are selected by the Dept. of Industry and Commerce Head Office after we scrutinise the applicants’ eligibility and the ability to execute the proposed project,” he explained.