JOIN USGet land without govt help, industrialists told
Industrialists must venture out and carry out land purchases on their own, instead of being dependent on agencies like KIADB for the purpose, which could result in delays in land acquisition, Secretary, Commerce and Industries Department (MSME, Mines and Textiles), Karnataka government, Tushar Giri Nath said on Friday.
“With land being one of the major issues affecting industrial development, some legislation is required,” Nath said, adding that the government is closely working with industry and manufacturing sectors to sort out issues related to land.
Addressing delegates at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) 7th Annual Manufacturing Conference 2014, Nath said that industrialists might directly purchase land from farmers through the private sector, following which the government would help facilitate fast-tracking of the acquisition and conversion processes of purchased land, which in turn will enable industries and manufacturing units to commence operations thereafter.
It may be noted that the Karnataka government, in a bid to simplify land reform laws, and rein in procedural delays to foster industrial development, had passed the Karnataka Land Reforms and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill 2014 a few months ago.
The Bill features modifications to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act 1961 and the Karnataka Land Revenue Act 1964, which mandate two separate permissions required for the diversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural uses.
“The new industrial policy has envisioned increasing the contribution of manufacturing from 18 per cent to 25 per cent, which is a stiff target, needing infrastructure and skill development in a big way.”
Time to act
Earlier in the day, talking to delegates at the conference themed - ‘Make in India-Rejuvenating Indian Manufacturing’, Bosch Limited Managing Director Steffen Berns said, “India has huge potential... But there are problems that persist in terms of restrictive regulations, poor infrastructure and implementation.”
He said that though the country enjoys good demographic dividend, if left untrained, it would be of little use.
Currently, manufacturing contributes 15 per cent of the country’s GDP, which has remained so for a long time.
Even among the BRICS nations, India’s manufacturing capability is seen dropping. Karnataka, alone, has dropped to fifth place from third, as a top manufacturing destination.
A revolution is needed in areas of mechanisation, project verification and digitisation, in a bid to redeem the country’s manufacturing fortunes.
“A vast number of youth from the upper segment of society are not part of the manufacturing field, but are its potential consumers. We need to target this segment since its members are qualified and can contribute immensely to the sector,” he said.