Date:07/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/07/stories/2007060710270400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mysore Lamps will be closed down: Katta

Special Correspondent

21 acres of factory to be developed to clear dues

BANGALORE: The State Government has decided to close down the 71-year-old Mysore Lamp Works Limited and develop 21 acres of the factory to settle the outstanding dues of Rs. 185 crore.

Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu told presspersons here on Wednesday that the department would take steps to develop the factory land and rent it out to private agencies.

The factory was established in 1936, and the Government is the largest shareholder in the company (91 per cent).

Out of the 1,556 factory employees, 1,419 had opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme. Thirty-three employees had been absorbed in other government-owned corporations. The compensation for rest of the employees would be settled soon, Mr. Naidu said.

He ruled out the sale of the factory land to private developers and said the department would develop it by constructing a new building. The department had also chalked out plans to revive the Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Limited. The plans would be finalised after consultation with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, he said.

Job scheme

Under the Suvarna Kayaka Udyoga Shikshana Scheme of the department, the stipend had been increased from Rs. 1,500 Rs. 2,000 a month for each candidate. A sum of Rs. 1,250 per person would be provided by the Government and Rs. 750 by the industries and organisations, which would impart training.

Earlier, the Government was paying Rs. 750 a month. So far, Mr. Naidu said, 45,000 unemployed youth had been provided jobs under the scheme.

For attracting investment, Mr. Naidu said investors' meets would be convened in Hubli, Hassan and Gulbarga. The department had conducted meetings in Shimoga, Mangalore, Belgaum and Raichur and received investment proposals worth over Rs. 7,000 crore.

To start with, the Minister said the department had roped in four institutes to provide training under the "Koushalya Abhivrudhi Yojane". The institutes are JSS Industries Training Centres at Chamarajanagar and Nanjangud, BVVG Rural Development Foundation in Bagalkot, Adichunchanagiri Mahamasthana at Nagamangala, and BLDEA's Polytechnic in Bijapur.