Lack of land banks in K’taka main hindrance for MSME sector: FKCCI

Mangaluru, Mar 25 (KNN) Main hindrance for industrial growth of Karnataka is lack of land banks in areas such as Mangaluru and Udupi which have the potential to nurture the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, said Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).

While interacting with media after the Mangaluru zonal meet, President of FKCCI, Sudhakar S Shetty said “We will bring pressure on the government to set up land banks to fuel industrial growth in this part of the state to reduce pressure on Bengaluru which is over saturated.”

Sudhakar said in Mangaluru, the government could make a start by allotting the 550 acres land belonging to JESCO to MSMEs here.

FKCCI will also hold hold a NRI conclave at Bengaluru on June 8, 2019 to brand Karnataka to potential investors.

Buoyed by the success of ASEAN Chambers Business Meet held in February, the FKCCI is now striving to get NRI investors from across the world to meet, understand brand Karnataka and get them to invest in all parts of the state through them.

Shetty said, “In addition, the government must also create a pro-industry environment, he said adding it is regrettable that no new industrial areas are coming up in the state. In Mangaluru, KIABD has not acquired land for the last 20-years.”

Adding across the state the Board has notified around 9000 acres of land and kept it its possession. The board must take a similar initiative for coastal parts of the state so that industrial growth of the state is even, he said.

Dakshina Kannada district needs a minimum of 1000 acres of land for industrial development and the land at existing industrial parks of Ganjimath, Nandikur and Baikampady industrial areas are fully exhausted, he added.

The government should also strive to take the proposed Plastic Park at Ganjimath to its logical conclusion. The Plastic Park proposal that then union minister H N Ananth Kumar so passionately followed up is pending at the state government level, and FKCCI will impress on the authorities to move the proposal forward, he noted. (KNN/JM)