The interaction of small scale industrialists with Satish Jarkiholi, the Minister in charge of the portfolio, here on Wednesday, failed to make any headway in sorting out issues concerning the industrial infrastructure development in the region.
However, in the interaction organised by the Karnatak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at its premises here, the industrialists brought to the notice of the Minister the sad state of industrial estates in the region and the long pending unresolved issues.
Highlighting the poor state of infrastructure in industrial estates developed by the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (KSSIDC) and the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), they said that they were embarrassed while bringing clients to their industrial units.
Pointing out the poor state of roads, water supply and street lights, president of North Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (NKSSIA) Nagaraj Divate told the Minister that even after five years after allotment of industrial plots at Gamanagatti, there was no power supply.
President of KCCI Ramesh Patil pointed out that while they paid property tax to the local municipal bodies, KIADB and KSSIDC collected maintenance charges. “However since the industrial estates are not handed over to the local bodies, they don’t take up development, while KIADB and KSSIDC do nothing for improving amenities,” he said.
The reaction of the officials on the issue led to a debate with the industrialists venting their ire against them for failing to maintain the estates properly. They also urged the Minister to take steps to waive property tax dues of Rs. 7 crore, which had now increased to Rs. 24 crore because of compounding interest.
Various other issues, including giving prominence for valve industries in the region, setting up a women cell at the District Industries Centre (DIC) and others came up for discussion during the interaction. However the Minister did not give any specific assurance on most of the issues raised.
