Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani on Saturday fixed a 90-day deadline for the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to compensate farmers who have proper documentation for their lands that get acquired.
Nirani issued this directive at a review meeting where he pulled up officials over delays in compensating farmers.
"If a farmer's land records are legal and in order, compensation should be paid within three months for lands that are acquired through the KIADB," Nirani said in the meeting, according to a statement from his office.
"There are complaints that compensation has not been paid to farmers even after acquisition of their lands. If all documents are proper, what is the problem in giving compensation within 90 days?" Nirani said, admonishing officials.
Nirani's diktat comes in the backdrop of the state government identifying and acquiring land in large quantities ahead of Invest Karnataka, the flagship global investors meet scheduled to be held in November this year. The government wants to keep 50,000 acres of land ready before the November summit.
During the meeting, Nirani directed the district and taluk offices of his department to adopt e-Office before August 15. Under e-Office, all files are scanned and uploaded onto the system for further transactions.
"If district-level offices don't adopt e-Office before August 15, then I will not accept physical files that come into the head office," Nirani warned. "I won't accept excuses that there are no computers, personnel and all that. Start whatever preparation is needed right away. Otherwise, physical files will be sent back to the district and taluk offices," he said.
Nirani also asked officials to make sure file clearances do not get delayed. "Can Karnataka attract investors if there are delays in file clearances? The more the delays, the higher the chances of investors moving to other states. Let's not allow that," the minister said.
Small Scale Industries Minister N Nagaraj (MTB), who also attended the review meeting, urged Nirani to consider demands for small enterprises to be given space on KIADB land. Nirani assured Nagaraj that he would take appropriate action.