Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah warns of action against officials delaying investment approvals
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday warned of action against officials who delay approvals for investment proposals, citing random court orders.
He stressed that the time frame for issuing various No Objection Certificates (NOCs) should be shortened to prevent delays in investment in the state.
"Officials should not sit idle, citing the court orders as an excuse. The same order exists for neighbouring states as well. If we keep saying that problems which do not occur in other states are happening to us, action will have to be taken," Siddaramaiah said at a meeting in Vidhana Soudha on attracting capital investment.
He said the investment-friendly environment in the state should be further strengthened, according to a statement from the CMO.
"The time limit for issuing various NOCs, including the process of land use change, should be reduced. A detailed proposal should be submitted for reducing the time limit. Under no circumstances should there be any scope for delay," he added.
Expressing concern over delays in approvals from the pollution control board and the fire department, Siddaramaiah underlined the need for necessary amendments to expedite clearances.
He also asked departments to coordinate in providing essential infrastructure to industries, including roads, water, and electricity.
According to Siddaramaiah, the state attracted Rs 10.27 lakh crore in investments during this year’s Global Investors’ Meet, "of which around 60 per cent of investments are already in the implementation stage."
He noted that capital investment proposals exceeding Rs 1.5 lakh crore are at various stages of clearance.
Karnataka Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge highlighted the growth of the workforce, including skilled labour, which has contributed to steady employment generation in the state.
In this context, he stressed the need to speed up permissions for industries and related matters, urging officials not to delay investment proposals.
Kharge also noted, "Tamil Nadu has 51 Special Economic Zones (SEZ), contributing a total of 8.9 per cent to the state GDP, whereas Karnataka has only 37 SEZs but yet it contributes as much as 8.2 per cent."
He urged officials to take note of this favourable situation.
"Employment generation can happen only when capital investment increases in the state," he added.
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NCB busts secret drug lab in Karnataka's Mysuru; four held
New Delhi (PTI): The Narcotics Control Bureau has busted a secret drug manufacturing laboratory in Karnataka's Mysuru and arrested four people from Rajasthan after seizing narcotics worth Rs 10 crore, the agency said on Friday.
This crackdown began on January 28 in Gujarat's Surat, where federal officials intercepted a SUV in the Palsana area. The vehicle was found carrying about 35 kg of Mephedrone.
Followingthe seizure, the Narcotcis Control Bureau (NCB) arrested the alleged mastermind of this trafficking racket named Mahindra Kumar Vishnoi and three others. All four suspects are residents of Rajasthan's Jalore district.
The investigation led to officials to a "clandestine" drugs manufacturing laboratory located in Hebbal industrial area of Mysuru.
The laboratory was being operated under the guise of a chemical manufacturing unit for cleaning purposes. The facility had been rented by a co-accused and relative of Vishnoi, the NCB said in a statement.
"Drugs worth Rs 10 crore (market value), Rs 25.6 lakh in cash, an SUV and 500 kgs of chemicals used in the manufacturing of drugs have been seized during the operation," it said, adding that the lab is understood to be established in 2024.
According to the NCB, Vishnoi is a "habitual offender" who "conceived" the idea of manufacturing synthetic drugs in secret labs while he was incarcerated in a drugs trafficking case. He has three drug-related cases registered against him in Rajasthan and one in Gujarat, the NCB added.
