HDK seeks allotment of land from State government to establish ARAI facility in Mandya

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy said he has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to set up a facility in Mandya for the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an initiative of the Union government.

Speaking to reporters in Mandya on January 23, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he was working to create an industry-friendly environment in the region he represents in the Lok Sabha. An evaluation for setting up industry through the Centre’s Ministry of Heavy Industries is also ongoing. ARAI falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry.

He was answering journalists’ questions about his assurance to help set up industries in Mandya region and questions raised by Congress leaders on the issue.

“There is no need for unnecessary politics on this issue. Development of the district is everyone’s responsibility. The deputy commissioner had said there is no land. Is there any possibility of providing land through MLA? Congress leaders are doing politics on this issue,” the minister lamented.

He heavily criticized the failure of the Congress government in the state to attract investors to the state and cited the example of a group of young promoters from Karnataka who had proposed setting up a rare earth magnet manufacturing industry.

He said the investors, who claimed that they would not get support from the Karnataka government, asked him to prevail over Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for the land near Visakhapatnam, which also has a port.

Blaming the Congress government for creating such a “bad situation” in the State, Mr. Kumaraswamy said no minister from the State government had discussed development issues with him. He claimed that no one had ever met or interviewed him, not just for industries but even for any other development work.

‘Government for brokers’

Mr. Kumaraswamy also attacked the State government for acting in a way that benefited middlemen instead of farmers.

When prices of some crops fall, putting farmers in financial distress, the State government waits for middlemen to buy the produce from farmers at a low price before opening procurement centres. Claiming that the delay has made it easier for middlemen to sell the product at a higher price, Mr Kumaraswamy described the current government as a “government for brokers”.