• ITC to establish pure nicotine production plant
• Aditya Birla Group to set up paint factory
• Rich’s Private Ltd. to launch ready-to-eat food factory

All manufacturing units are coming up at Immavu in Nanjangud taluk

By M.T. Yogesh Kumar

Mysore/Mysuru: At a time when many industries and companies in Mysuru are mulling closure or diversification, thanks to COVID contagion, lockdown and slow economic growth, three mega industries are set to open in Mysuru region giving hopes to hundreds of educated, skilled but unemployed youth. 

The three industries that are coming up in Mysuru are ITC that is establishing a manufacturing unit of nicotine and nicotine bitartrate dihydrate, Aditya Birla Group that is setting up a paint factory and Rich’s Private Limited that is setting up a ready-to-eat food processing plant. The total investment that is being brought by these firms run up to Rs. 2,975 crore.

The industries are coming up at Immavu village in Nanjangud taluk. Immavu lies to the south of Mysuru and north-east of Nanjangud at a distance of about 16 kms and 5 kms respectively. 

Recently when State Chief Secretary P. Ravikumar visited Mysuru, he regretted that despite the best facilities like land and water availability and connectivity, industries are not coming to Mysuru region and asked the officials to give a push for mega industries.

With the establishment of new mega industries, Mysuru’s industrial scenario is set to change and this may prompt other industry majors to establish their manufacturing units here. 

Nicotine plant

The Department of Industries has approved the proposal of ITC Indivision Limited to establish a manufacturing unit of nicotine and nicotine bitartrate dihydrate within its campus at Immavu. The project proposal was approved through a circular dated Nov. 7 last year issued by Karnataka Commerce and Industries Department. ITC is investing Rs. 265 crore in the project that will extend up to 70 acres.

The construction work of the project is already on and the works are in final stages. After the construction is over, machines will be set up and the nicotine unit is set to be operational by May end or by June 2021, providing jobs for over 200 youths, he said. 

“ITC is establishing its first pure nicotine production plant in India in Mysuru region. Indivision Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Limited and is Special Purpose Vehicle for manufacturers of nicotine and its derivatives,” he said. As per the project proposal submitted by ITC, the modern facility would position India as one of the leading manufacturers of purest nicotine in the world, he added. 

Paint factory

The Aditya Birla Group is establishing a paint factory with an investment of Rs. 2,500 crore in an 80-acre plot at Immavu. The company has sought permission from the State Commerce and Industries Department and will submit their project report for approval. 

Recently, representatives from Aditya Birla Group and a team of officials led by Joint Director of District Industries Department D.K. Lingaraju visited the land and took stock of land availability, connectivity and other factors. 

The permission for Birla Group will be accorded in a month or so and the process has already been set in motion and the ground work for the construction is likely to begin in May this year, sources said. The paint factory could generate jobs for over 1,000 youths. 

Ready-to-eat food

Rich’s Private Limited, a food processing company, is establishing a mega ready-to-eat food plant at Immavu on the lines of Nestle India. The total investment is Rs. 200 crore and the company is establishing a state-of-the-art ready-to-eat food plant. 

Sources said that the Industries Department is willing to hand over land to the company and the process is on. Even the company officials have sent a proposal to this effect. Works on the plant will begin soon and it will provide employment to local youth. 

Along with many direct jobs in the manufacturing sector in Mysuru, many indirect jobs will also be created. Mysuru has a reputation of being a tourist centre and an education hub and there is a vast improvement in connectivity — road, rail and air. Also for transportation, the Container Corporation of India is setting up its Multi-Modal Logistics Park or Inland Container Yard at Kadakola in Nanjangud. All these are favourable for industrial growth, sources added.