Bangalore: In a major move to decongest the Kamakshipalya area on Magadi Road in the city, the Government has decided to shift 1,000 small-scale industries there to a place beyond Tavarekere on the same road.

This was revealed at a press conference here on Friday by Minister for Small-scale Industries and Sericulture Katta Subramanya Naidu after a meeting with officials of his department as also the Principal Secretary for Industries and Commerce Lakshmi Venkatachalam. A 250-acre land has been identified to shift the industries from Kamakshipalya.

Lack of facilities

It may be recalled that The Hindu had drawn attention to the bad state of the private industrial areas in Kamashipalya and the lack of facilities there.

The Minister said that to reduce the burden on the exchequer, the Government had now decided to play the role of a facilitator for the entrepreneur. Instead of allotting industrial plots and building industrial estates, it had been decided to involve the private sector in the construction of house-cum-worksheds -showrooms.

Mr. Naidu said the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association had agreed to shift the factories. Similarly, integrated garments parks/city would be established on the Kanakapura Road and Mysore Road in collaboration with the South India Garments Association. Applications had been received from individual garment factory owners also.

The Minister said the Bangalore Gems and Jewellers' Association had asked for land to build industrial sheds on Sarjapura Road. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board and the association would identify the land and buy through consent acquisition process. The farmers would get the market value and it would not be acquired through the board. Such sheds were a big success in Thailand and China, where a large number of people were employed. They could also export their finished products. The sheds would start functioning from June 2007.

The factory sites and sheds would be built by the respective industries or the association and the Government would not spend money on them. Whoever asked for a shed had to pay and build it and the Government would act as a facilitator, Mr. Naidu said. Industrial sheds for weavers measuring 30x40 ft and 40x60 ft each would be built at Anekal, Doddaballapur, Ramanagara and Magadi on 50-acre plots.

Silk production

Mr. Naidu said his department was planning to increase silk production to two lakh tonnes from 88,000 tonnes under the silk boon scheme and added that farmers' meetings were being held at different places for a dialogue with them. With a view to curbing corruption while getting facilities such as drip irrigation, subsidy and tool kit, the Minister requested farmers to complain to him directly on 99800 90888 or 22253578 (office).

They could also write to him on their problems. He said that a separate grievance cell would be set up in his department and details of the complaints would be kept a secret.

The Minister said he would visit cocoon markets at Sidlaghatta, Vijayapura and Ramanagara before April 15. Farmers would be provided with security while returning home with the proceeds, and dormitories and toilets at the market yard would be provided. Industrial adalats for solving problems in Sericulture and Industries departments would be held every month.

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