K'taka to offer Posco land in Bagalkot

The Karnataka government has proposed to offer land to South Korean steel major Posco in Bagalkot or Yadgiri districts in north Karnataka to set up their 6 million tonne per annum steel plant. The decision comes after the stiff opposition put forward by farmers of Halligudi in Gadag district last year from acquiring their land for the proposed steel plant.

“The government has decided not to acquire land at Halligudi as some sections of farmers are opposed to parting with their land. We are in possession of sufficient land in Bagalkot and Yadagiri districts and we are ready to provide land to the company in these two places, depending on their choice,” Murugesh R Nirani, minister for large and medium industries, told Business Standard.

He said the government has already issued preliminary notification in Bagalkot district for acquisition of land as part of its land bank project. “We have more than 3,000 acres of land under acquisition process in Bagalkot district, which is near to the Almatti dam. We are ready to offer this land to Posco,” he said.