State gears up for investors' meet with land buy spree

The various wings of the government are at it to freeze respective project blueprints for presentation before domestic and international investors to woo investments into the State.

As part of this humongous exercise, the State government is also ensuring that one of the core components for projects to roll on — land, is easily and readily available to those who express interest in setting up projects in the State.

Official sources told Deccan Herald that nearly 40,000 acre of land has been identified and notified for preliminary acquisition. For a further 12,000 acre, the process of preliminary notification is also underway, they added. These lands, sources said, will be in the 50 to 100 km peripheral range of the industrial corridors proposed under the ambitious Suvarna Karnataka Development Corridor Programme. The final notification for acquisition of lands will be done depending upon the demand generated at the GIM, they added.

A Google map of lands acquired along the national and rural highways will be ready to be shown for interested investors. Further, they will also be taken for on-the-spot inspections once Memorandum of Understanding is signed during the GIM, they said.
“We are initially giving priority for acquisition of government and dry lands,” they said pointing out acquisition cost depends on the district where is being bought and at appropriate guidance values. For example, those close to Bangalore and Tumkur would command a premium, while at northern Karnataka districts it would cost little less. Meanwhile, the government, which had invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from programme management consultants, for development of industrial corridors saw 19 global and domestic consultants submit EoIs. Sources said nine submitted bids for financial tenders that were called for. The selection committee under Chairmanship of Principal Secretary Commerce & Industry would meet to pick the successful bidder shortly.

The Suvarna Karnataka Development Corridor Programme, they said, envisages development of large industrial nodes and industrial tracts along national highways and laterals, as also rail lines covering regions spread over Bangalore-Bidar via Bellary, Tumkur-Honnavar via Shivamogga, Chitradurga-Mangalore via Udupi, besides Bidar-Gulbarga-Bellary-Hiriyur, Chitradurga-Hospet-Koppal via Raichur and Chitradurga-Hospet-Bagalkot through Bijapur.

The consultant will provide necessary blueprint for planning structured development of investment regions across thecorridor which will boast of core infrastructures such as energy, road and rail linkages, inland container depots, free trade zones and urban infrastructure. The corridor will cover about 11 district headquarters and more than 20 major towns along highways/major roads and rail links.