CM rules out more land for City industries

CM rules out more land for City industries
Deccan Herald

Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy on Monday made it clear that the state government “is not in a position” to sanction land as demanded by industries, including IT companies, around Bangalore City.

Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy on Monday made it clear that the state government “is not in a position” to sanction land as demanded by industries, including IT companies, around Bangalore City.

“We have no choice but to check the influx of IT industries – which is now only in and around the city. It is impossible to meet the demand for land and infrastructure,” said the chief minister while participating in the valedictory of Peenya Industries Association’s (PIA) silver jubilee celebrations. “Every IT company demands 500 acres to 1,000 acres of land around Bangalore City to set up their campus. How can the government provide such vast land for all companies,” Mr Kumaaraswamy asked. The government will not allow any company to use land acquired in their favour for real estate purposes. His government “will positively respond” to all types of investments in the state.

The government, however, “can provide land for any type of industry around Bangalore City only to a limited and reasonable extent.” Calling upon the investors to move to other cities, Mr Kumaaraswamy said: “Land is available in vast extent around cities like Mangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum and the government will extend all cooperation to investors, including in IT sector, to establish their offices in those cities.”

Though the chief minister admitted that the IT companies had brought a brand image to Bangalore, he said they were also equally responsible for the unusual hike in land prices, which had adversely affected the middle class and ordinary people. Is it possible for people belonging to these classes even to think of buying a site of the smallest dimension in and around Bangalore today, the Chief Minister asked. He said he had the responsibility of protecting the interest of these sections of society which were struggling to survive due to escalating cost of living in Bangalore.

Referring to the hue and cry raised by some IT industry leaders over inadequate infrastructure in Bangalore, Mr Kumaaraswamy said the Peenya industrial area lacked several basic facilities even after 35 years of its establishment.

He thanked the members of the PIA for cooperating with successive governments.

He assured the PIA members that he would soon convene a meeting of officers and industry representatives to chalk out a plan to improve infrastructure in Peenya industrial area, the largest industrial complex in the South Asia region. “The government is committed to providing necessary infrastructure to IT and other industries, but at the same time the needs of the common people cannot be ignored,” he said.