BENGALURU : The Industries department will reintroduce ‘Industrial Adalats’ in an effort to solve problems related to the sector, Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani said here on Sunday. The Adalats will be held from September 27.
The minister had introduced this concept during his earlier tenure (2008-13) as Industries minister. The Adalats provide a platform for industrialists and other stakeholders to get their grievances and disputes resolved on the spot, without taking to litigation, saving crucial time and money.
Minister Nirani has also chalked out symposiums and workshops in major cities across the state, along with Industrial Adalats, to encourage youngsters to become entrepreneurs. The symposiums will be held a day after the scheduled Industrial Adalats in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Belagavi and Kalaburagi. “We want to encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship among our youths by imparting necessary skills through these workshops. We want them to emerge as job-providers instead of job-seekers,” Nirani said.
The Adalats gain importance in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has taken its toll of industries. “At least 15-20 per cent of industrial units have shut down, and another 15-20 per cent have become sick in the past two years,” said FKCCI President Perikal Sundar. Despite these conditions, they are paying fixed charges for power, running up bills of Rs 5-10 lakh per unit, though they have been closed.
Many industrialists complain that they have to pay EMIs on loans, though they are not earning anything. The decision to reintroduce Industrial Adalats was taken after his recent meeting with senior officials Additional Chief Secretary (C&I) EV Ramana Reddy, Commissioner for Industries Gunjan Krishna and Karnataka Udyog Mitra MD HM Revanna Gowda. Many investors and industrialists have benefited from Industrial Adalats, having resolved issues of land disputes, taxes, fees and infrastructure facilities.