BANGALORE: Irked by the industries department officers, who often go on a foreign junket, chief minister Siddaramaiah scrapped a recent trip instead ordered them to tour the state to understand the state's requirement in terms of industry than going abroad to study the industries pattern. During the informal meeting with the officials on Tuesday, the CM is also said to have told them to focus on simplifying approvals for the industrial projects.

The CM, who holds large and medium industries portfolio, declined to approve the junket proposal of around five top ranks officials belonging to commerce and industries, including few from the Karnataka Udyog Mitra (KUM) officials last week. All the officials were scheduled to participate in the ongoing 50th International Airshow in Paris.

Apart from stopping the officers from going on the junket last week, Siddaramaiah, who was to chair the first State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC) cancelled it on Tuesday for reasons best known to him. The CM is said to have asked details of the availability of dryland in the state, suitable for setting up industries.

However, the decision to cancel SHLCC meeting without prior notice has left hundreds of executives representing the companies high and dry. They had to return empty handed without getting an opportunity to present their case. "As many as 131 subjects, some new, some old, some deferred by the previous chief minister, approximately worth Rs 32,000 crore were listed for discussion and clearance," sources in the industries department told TOI.

The procedure followed is to invite representatives of the company to SHLCC meetings to present their case whose proposals have been cleared by the screening committee comprising officials of industry department. Sources said Siddaramaiah was particular about land audit and actual implementation of the projects that were signed in last five years. According to CM, the MoUs that were signed have not come into effect.

Disputing the CM's view , a senior official said big gestation period of mega projects is more than three years. "Once MoU is signed, the project takes few years to put the foundation atleast. The state government clears the proposal, but it takes long time for getting approval from the Central departments and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)," he maintained.

The CM was also reportedly harsh on officials by directing them not to clear fertile land

in screening committee. Siddaramaiah also asked the department to give a report how many acres of fertile has been given for industrial purpose in last five years.

Reacting to Siddaramaiah's decision, K Shiva Shanmugam, president, FKCCI, said ""We fully agree with the CM that agricultural land cannot be given for industrial development. What industry wants is not wetland but dry land. After all, land is required for any industry to start and flourish. The previous government informed us that of the total land available in Karnataka only 1% was being used by industry. As part of the pre-budget meeting with the CM this Saturday, FKCCI will be making a presentation on the land requirements for the micro, small, and medium enterprises.""

M Lakshminarayan, President, Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) said ""We welcome what the CM has said. We don't want agriculturalists and farmers to suffer. Having said that the CM must give the industry a roadmap on how are we going to get land that has sufficient infrastructure. In order to grow industry requires land.""

