BENGALURU: Industries Minister MB Patil on Thursday criticised Leader of Opposition in the Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, who questioned the state government’s decision to allot a 5-acre CA site at the aerospace park to a trust consisting of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and his sons Priyank and Rahul.
Patil told the media that the trust applied for the land in accordance with KIADB norms, competing against five other applicants. He said six applications were received, and not 72 as claimed by some BJP leaders. Of the six, three proposing residential projects were rejected, because residential development had already been approved in the area and another application proposing a hospital was dismissed due to insufficient documentation, while a fifth application mentioning ‘research’ was rejected for being vague, he said.
Hitting out at Chalavadi, Patil said he had acquired a 2-acre KIADB plot in the Hebbal Industrial Area of Mysuru, 18 years ago, but has failed to establish any industrial unit there. “Instead, he has merely put up a shed,” Patil said. “He recently requested an additional six months to utilise the plot. If he fails again, the plot will be reclaimed by the government,” the minister added. He accused BJP leader Murugesh Nirani of allegedly allotting 25 acres to himself, in Bagalkot’s Navanagar Agrotech Park, on March 12, 2012, while he was serving as a minister.
He also criticised the allotment of 5 acres of land to Rashtrothana Parishat in the Hi-Tech Defence Aerospace Park in 2013, which was intended for a multi-utility commercial complex. No development has occurred on that land so far. Initially, Rashtrothana Parishat cited Covid-19 as reason for the delay, but on December 26, last year, it requested an additional two years to comply with the development plan, he said.
Patil said Chanakya University was also allotted 116 acres in the Devanahalli Industrial Area, resulting in a loss of Rs 137 crore to the state exchequer. He warned that if the university does not utilise 51 per cent of the plot by June 2025, the remaining land will be reclaimed.