The Karnataka Textile Policy 2013-18 has failed to achieve its target with respect to investment and employment, according to a report of CAG of India.
The report on Economic Sector for the year ending on March 2018, which was tabled in the State legislature, said the policy had aimed at attracting investments of ₹10,000 crore and employment generation for five lakh persons over five years. But the shortfall in meeting the target was to the extent of 63% with respect to investment and 76% regrading employment generation. The report also observed that the targets for investment and employment generation had been fixed without proper assessment of the potential and that it was “Utopian”.
Imparting of skill development training to unemployed youth was reduced from 2.96 lakh to 1.09 lakh citing inadequate budgetary support, the report notes.
Six textile parks with integrated facilities that were planned in different areas of the State with the involvement of private sector had either remained non-starters or were far behind the schedule, the report says. But ₹6.35 crore had been released to a special purpose vehicle in Kalaburagi though it had not fulfilled the prescribed conditions, the report points out. ₹84.53 crore released for implementation of various schemes had remained in the bank for period ranging from two to five years without utilisation. In another case, the department paid ₹51.89 crore to Bescom as penal interest for not clearing the bills in full, the report observed.
CAMPA
On the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), the report had found a shortfall of 51% in raising compensatory afforestation in compensatory lands in respect of forest lands diverted during 2013-18.
