State clears 28 proposals with Rs 8,622 cr investment

The Karnataka government on Thursday cleared 28 proposals involving an investment of Rs 8,622 crore with a potential to create jobs for 23,000 people. The 25th state high-level clearance committee (SHLCC) chaired by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, which met today and cleared these proposals, Murugesh R Nirani, minister for large and medium industries said.

The committee cleared two proposals each in the automobile, chemicals, engineering, food-processing and infrastructure sectors. Three projects are in the iron and steel sector, eight in sugar and one each in textiles, ceramics, education, IT and petrochemicals sectors.

The major proposals includes Rs 1,350 crore investment from Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India Pvt Ltd (HMSI) to set up 1.6 million motorcycles per annum plant in Narasapur Industrial Area. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited &(HPCL) has proposed to lay 900 km long pipeline for transportation of bulk LPG from Mangalore to Bangalore via Hassan with a total investment of Rs 610 crore.

Vijay Mallya-controlled Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (MCF) plans to set up a unit to manufacture urea, basic organic chemicals and other specialty fertiliser in Panambur at an investment of Rs 483 crore.

Karnataka Ferro Concentrates is investing Rs 225 core for setting up of 1 million tonne per annum iron ore pelletisation plant in Sandur taluk of Bellary district. Mushashi Auto Parts India Pvt Ltd is setting up a unit to manufacture bearings, gear and drive equipment at Doddaballapur industrial area at an investment of Rs 400 crore.

Britannia Industries has proposed to set up a Greenfield biscuits and bakery products manufacturing unit with a global R&D centre in Doddaballapur industrial area at an investment of Rs 100 crore.

The SHLCC also cleared eight sugar factories with a total investment of Rs 1,900 crore in the districts of Bijapur, Mysore, Bagalkot and Belgaum. These new mills will produce an additional power to an extent of 190 Mw.

Other projects cleared today include Somany Ceramics Ltd, Padmashree Ravindra Babu Textiles Pvt Ltd for an investment of Rs 80 crore and Rs 154 crore respectively.

Commenting on the status of Posco plant proposed at Halligudi village in Gadag district, Nirani said the government would denotify the land due to farmers’ protest against the project.

However, the government was yet to decide on giving alternative land to the company elsewhere in the state.

Giving details of progress achieved by projects signed during the global investors’ meet in 2010, Nirani said 20 out of 387 projects have been implemented with an investment of Rs 1,750 crore and 6,500 jobs have been created in the last one year.

Another 235 projects are in various stages of implementation, he said adding that the government would kickstart roadshows from today for the next GIM to be held on June 7 and 8, 2012.