JOIN US Large and Medium Industries Minister R V Deshpande has pinned the blame on British motorcycle maker Triumph Motorcycles India for having pulled out of Karnataka.
Following media reports that the company was forced to move its project out of Karnataka owing to delays by the government, Deshpande insisted that the government was not at fault.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the company had junked the project without even informing the government. This, despite the government spending Rs 1.5 crore towards development of Narasapura, where the company was supposed to set up its motorcycle manufacturing unit.
The minister said the government had cancelled the agreement on December 8, 2014, as the company failed to pay an advance amount of Rs 20 crore towards land acquisition. The company had only made an initial payment of Rs 5.8 crore. As per the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Corporation (KIADB) rules, full payment should be made within a month.
“The company representatives remained incommunicado, despite the government trying to make efforts to retain it. They were given two years’ time, but they failed to pay the advance amount,” he said.
Deshpande also dismissed speculation that four more big-ticket companies would be pulling out of Karnataka.