The Hindu : Relief package evolved for sick units

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 04, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Relief package evolved for sick units

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore March 3. The State Government had evolved a sick industries relief package, mainly for the benefit of the small industries, the Minister for Large- and Medium-scale Industries, R.V.Deshpande, said in the Legislative Council today.

Replying to a question raised by Ramachandra Gowda during Question Hour, the minister said of the 3,600 small industries in the Peenya Industrial Area of Bangalore, nearly 1,000 were sick owing to various reasons. The relief package included tax concessions and deferred repayment of loans.

Mr. Deshpande said the Government was aware that industries were hit by short supply of electricity and efforts were on to obtain power from neighbouring States.

Apart from the power shortage, there were many other reasons for industrial sickness.

With globalisation and increased competition, the demand was for quality products at competitive prices.

The State Government had also created a special fund to enable industries upgrade their technology.

Mr. Ramachandra Gowda said nearly 40 per cent of the industries in the Peenya area were sick, and short supply of electricity was one of the chief factors.

It was imperative for the Government to ensure proper power supply to the industrial sector.

The Minister for Sugar, M.Mahadev, replying to a question raised by K.C.Kondaiah, said sugar factories would crush the entire quantum of sugarcane available during the current year.

There were 41 sugar factories, and six of them had not taken up crushing operations over the past two seasons. In the current season, two more sugar factories had stopped functioning.

He said in areas where sugar factories were unable to crush the entire quantity of sugarcane, arrangements were being made to transport the excess cane to nearby sugar factories. Certain concessions would also be offered for the diversion of cane from the jurisdiction of one factory to another. While the sugar factories in the southern parts of the State commenced crushing in June and closed down in February, the factories in the northern parts of the State operated between October and April.

The Minister for Social Welfare, A.Krishnappa, told P.Ramiah that nearly 100 officials of his department had been held responsible for the poor upkeep of students' hostels and suspended.

The Government had directed deputy commissioners to appoint nodal officers to monitor the functioning of hostels.

Efforts were on to provide hygienic conditions in government hostels.

The House earlier condoled the death of several legislators and other prominent personalities who passed away in the recent past.

The list of obituary references included B.M.Menasinkai, K.R.Srinivasan, Pandari Bai, Kalpana Chawla, T.A.Rangaiah, and Hanumanthappa.

The Chairman, B.L.Shankar, the Leader of the House, H.K.Patil, the Leader of the Opposition, D.H.Shankara Murthy, the Floor Leader of the Janata Dal (U), Basavaraj Horatti, the Floor Leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), K.H.Srinivasa, and Umashree and `Mukhyamantri' Chandru offered their condolences.

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