In a major relief to small and micro industries, the State Cabinet has cleared an amendment to the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) rules for allotting lands on 10-year lease-cum-sale instead of 99-year lease basis.
Ten-year lease-cum-sale would be applicable only for land parcels less than 2 acres. A meeting of the State Cabinet, presided by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Wednesday took the decision to drop the stiff clause of 99-year lease for allotment of land or plots to industries and infrastructure projects.
Prior to 2014, the State government had fixed a tenure of 10-year lease-cum-sale for land allotted for industrial activity. Due to severe shortage of land for industrial activity and also as land was getting diverted for purposes other than industries, the government in 2014 brought in an amendment and increased the lease period to 30 years, and subsequently to 99 years. Industry and trade bodies had been opposing the 99-year lease period.
A one-time grant of ₹400 crore has been approved for the KIADB for acquisition of land at Vasanathanarasapur in Tumakuru district for the 4th phase under the Chennai–Bengaluru–Chitradurga Industrial Corridor project, according to Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra, who briefed presspersons on the Cabinet decisions.
Super-speciality hospitals
Mr. Jayachandra said the State would get seven more super-speciality hospitals to improve the quality of health services in rural areas. The Cabinet gave administrative approval for setting up super-speciality hospitals at Davangere, Kanakapura, Tumakuru, Vijayapura, and Kolar at a cost of ₹25 crore each. Similarly, two more super-speciality hospitals would come up at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubballi and Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Ballari, at an estimated cost of ₹150 crore each.
E-hospital programme in 206 community health centres and 2,353 primary health centres at an estimated cost of ₹13.78 crore was also approved. Under the programme, taluk-level and district-level hospitals will be linked to medical colleges through tele-medicine.
Wi-Fi service
To provide information and communication infrastructure in rural areas, the Cabinet approved a grant of ₹79crore for providing Wi-Fi service through BSNL in rural areas.
