BELGAUM: Several industrialists from Maharashtra, especially from Miraj and Sangli, have shown immense interest in establishing industries in Karnataka.
Industrialists led by Sangli- Miraj Industrialists Association president Sanjay Aranake visited Kagwad village in Athani taluk last week and inspected land available to set up their firms.
Sources said that at least 400 industries will be set up in Kagwad and surrounding areas as a first step and more may follow in the second phase.
Foundries, hosiery factories, fruit juice factories, mango pulp and several other factories are expected to come up.
As Maharashtra has ignored the development of industries, besides not giving them the needed infrastructure, industrialists have decided to move to the Karnataka border, sources said.
When contacted, Sanjay Aranake confirmed that they were interested in establishing industries near the border, but as their market was in Maharashtra, the venue should be near Miraj and Sangli.
Aranake said his organisation has already contacted the Karnataka Industrial Development Corporation and a meeting has been fixed for February 5 in Bangalore with the Karnataka Industries Minister.
He said officials in Karnataka are keen on welcoming industrialists from Maharashtra.
Sources said that Maharashtra charges Rs 5.46 to Rs 6 per unit of electricity whereas Karnataka charges only Rs 4.90 to Rs 5.30 per unit and getting power supply in Maharashtra has become a difficult task. When contacted, Athani tahsildar Sharanabasappa Kotyagol said that he had not received any instructions from the government to identify land at Kagwad to set up industries.