Govt to acquire 1.15 lakh ha for land bank

Speaking at the inauguration of the Permanent Industrial Exhibition here on Saturday, Yeddyurappa said the Industries and Commerce department had been asked not to acquire farm lands for industrial purposes. He said the owners of the land to be acquired would be treated as partners in the industrial progress of the State.

“Karnataka is the first State in the country to implement Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure, a centrally-sponsored scheme. Belgaum is second in the State in terms of exports. Financial assistance will be provided to units in Mache Industrial Estate to export their products,” he said.

Referring to the political turmoil that the State plunges into often, Yeddyyurappa claimed that none of the chief ministers of Karnataka were faced with the situations that he had faced.

Special session

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the work on Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Yeddyurappa said the special session of the State legislature would be held at the Soudha even if 90 per cent of the work is completed by July. He said a sum of Rs 300 crore had been earmarked for the project in the budget. He said the authorities concerned had been instructed to expedite the work.

Yeddyurappa urged the Union government to present a separate agriculture budget on the lines of the one presented by him this year.