JOIN USSmall Scale Industries minister G R Srinivas ‘Vasu’ on Friday his department would conduct surveys in every taluk to assess the demand for small-scale industries.
“Land for small-scale industries will be acquired based on the surveys,” Srinivas, told reporters.
The minister rued that the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had not handed over land for small-scale industries. “Of the land it acquires, the KIADB is supposed to give 20% for small-scale industries. This is not happening. For example, in Vasanthanarasapura, the KIADB is yet to give us 2,700 acres out of the total 13,700 acres it has acquired,” Srinivas, who is MLA from Gubbi in Tumakuru district, said.
He lamented that little was done to develop the small-scale industries sector in the last 5-6 years. “There are thousands of acres of empty sites that have not been utilised because the demand was not created all these years. I’m also told we have Rs 400-500 crore lying in fixed deposits. I don’t know why,” he said.
The department will explore its own mechanism to acquire industrial land without having to depend on the KIADB, he said.
“Once we get our own directorate, we will take such steps to strengthen small-scale industries.”