The State Government, after learning lessons from the Posco fiasco in North Karnataka, has now begun to create land bank ahead of the Global Agriculture Meet planned in October this year.

A team headed by the Additional Secretary of Karnataka Agriculture Department, Mr G.K. Vasanthkumar, is scouting land in districts which has potential for promotion of agro-based industries.

Joint director in agriculture and horticulture departments in north Karnataka districts have been asked to identify, select and ascertain the suitability of the land for agro-based industries. The identified land is to be acquired under Suvarna Karnataka Industrial Corridor and Land Bank scheme of the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for setting up industries.

Mr Vasanthkumar, recently, has wrote to the district agriculture joint director in Gadag to explore whether the land identified by KIADB for Korean steel giant Posco is suitable for setting up agro and food processing industries.

Agri potential

After looking at the agriculture and horticulture potential in Mundargi taluk and the neighbouring taluks in Gadag district, the department is expected to take a final call on setting up agro-based industries on the land.

Farmers from Mundargi taluk last month had revolted and vehemently opposed the government's move to acquire their land for setting up three steel mills in the region.

Mundargi taluk, identified as most backward region in the D M Nanjundappa report, hit the headlines last month when the government had initiated the land acquisition process to facilitate setting up of steel based heavy industries in Halligudi, Jantli-Shirur and Mevundi.

To facilitate setting up steel based heavy industries the State Government had identified a total of 3,807 acres in the taluk – including 1,588 acres in Jantli-Shirur, 1,502 acres in Pethalur and 716 acres in Mevundi.

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