Minister Jagadish Shettar interacts with industrialists in city

Mysuru/Mysore: Large and Medium Scale Industries Minister, Jagadish Shettar said that the State Government will soon hold an Investors Meet in Mysuru.

Interacting with members of various industrial bodies at the Government Guest House in Nazarbad in city last evening, Jagadish Shettar said that the State Government was committed to the development of industrial sector and the Investors Meet in Mysuru will be the perfect platform to attract investments. 

The Investors Meet held recently at Hubballi evoked a good response and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for Rs.72,000 crore were signed, Shettar added. “We highlighted the investment potential of Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Vijayapura, etc., and the investors were surprised as they knew only about Bengaluru. Mysuru is only synonymous with Dasara and culture in their perception,” he said.

Pointing out that Mysuru region comprising Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts has a great scope for industrial growth, Shettar maintained that the Government will resolve all issues related to industries, including road connectivity to industrial areas and basic facilities.

Industrial Adalats

Assuring industrialists of organising Industrial Adalats, he said that the Adalat will start from Bengaluru. The Adalats will resolve thousands of pending cases related to Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).

Following a demand from Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda to provide funds for Hale Unduwadi Drinking water Project to supply water to large parts of Mysuru, Shettar agreed to release Rs. 25 crore for the Project and directed the officials to submit a proposal to the Government.

Continuing, Shettar said he has appealed Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to accord township tag to at least four industrial areas in the State. At present, the State has only one township  — Electronics City in Bengaluru, he noted.

During the interaction, representatives of various industrial bodies such as Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Mysore Industries Association (MIA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-Mysuru  and other organisations and stakeholders representing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), submitted a memorandum to the Minister, urging him to address issues related to industries.

50 percent of KIADB plots for MSME 

MSME stakeholders urged the Government to reserve 50 percent of KIADB plots for MSME and small-scale units. Pointing out that though the quantum of investment was small in MSME’s and Small Scale Industries, the jobs generated were more in number, the representatives maintained that these industries are not capital-intensive, but are labour-intensive and hence should be encouraged.

The industrialists also complained about pathetic condition of some of the approach roads to industrial areas and urged KIADB to pay attention to improving the infrastructure. Pointing out that transportation of materials had become a major issue with rising transportation and handling costs, they urged Shettar to make matters more industry-friendly.

Penalty waiver urged

Faulting the KIADB for levying penalty for delay in project implementation even though the entrepreneurs cannot be held responsible for legal hurdles in the execution of projects, the industrial bodies wanted the Minister to sympathetically consider such cases and waive off the penalty.

They also requested the Minister to take steps for acquisition of land for the extension of Mysore Airport Runway and execute the Electronic Cluster proposed in Mysuru. They also sought establishment of Centres of Excellence and Innovation at Industrial areas of Mysuru and Nanjangud.

MLAs G.T. Devegowda and  L. Nagendra, MIA President and former MLA Vasu, Secretary Suresh Kumar Jain, former FKCCI President Sudhakar S. Shetty, KIADB Chief Executive Officer Basavarajendra, Udyoga Mitra Managing Director H.M. Revannegowda, MCCI President A.S. Satish, District Industries Centre Joint Director H. Ramakrishnegowda, Mysuru Paints and Varnish Limited MD Dr. Chandrasekhar Doddamani and others were present during the interaction.

Meeting highlights

* Land acquisition for Mysore Airport Runway expansion.

* Electronic Cluster in Mysuru.

* Centres of Excellence and Innovation in Mysuru and Nanjangud.