Date:17/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/17/stories/2006051727250400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Government urged to set up industrial estates for SSIs

Staff Reporter

Plea to offer one-time settlement scheme for sick units

Bangalore: The office-bearers of the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association stressed on the need for establishing an industrial estate, preferably outside Bangalore, so that small-scale industries can relocate and expand with a better infrastructure.

At an interactive session with Minister for Small Scale Industries and Sericulture Katta Subramanya Naidu on Tuesday, representatives of 61 associations participated.

Partnership

Harish P. Hegde, President KASSIA, said several industrial associations had come forward to establish industrial estates under public-private partnership.

One-time settlement

He called for a one-time settlement scheme for sick industries that had suffered due to recession and various other factors.

He urged the Government to give importance to small-scale industries to improve and help them.

Officials pulled up

Mr. Naidu pulled up officials of the Industries Department for their lethargic attitude towards problems faced by small entrepreneurs.

The Minister took exception to the absence of some officials of the Karnataka State Financial Corporation.

The officials had sent in a message that they were "preoccupied."

This was compounded by complaints from some representatives of the district SSI associations about the problems being faced by them.

Mr. Naidu said the KSSIDC had to take quick decisions and solve the problems of the industries.

He chided KSSIDC Managing Director Azeezulla Baig, who was seated on the dais, for repeatedly answering calls on his mobile phone when the interaction was in progress.