One department for all industries:Karnataka Heavy Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar

HUBBALLI: The process of merging Small Scale, Major and Medium Industries and renaming the combined entity as the ‘Department of Industries and Commerce’ is on the cards, said Heavy Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar.

Addressing officer-bearers of Small Scale Industries’ Associations of North and Central Karnataka here on Monday, Shettar said small scale industries were separate from large industries in the past. And as all the rules of larger industries are applicable to smaller industries, it will not be fair to keep them separate.
“Several issues pertaining to these industries are interrelated, but one department was not allowed to interfere with another. In this regard, ascent has been given to merge Small Scale Industries Department with Major Industries to rechristen it as the ‘Department of Industries and Commerce’. However, the cabinet will give the final nod,” Shettar said.

The minister said, as the new industrial policy for micro, small and medium enterprises is in the offing, a whole chapter could be dedicated for them. Before framing the policy and putting it out on the public domain, the government will have a thorough consultation with stakeholders, he added.

Stating that the prevailing economic slowdown has hit automobile and real estate sectors, the minister said the downturn is temporary and the situation is global. The economy will bounce back as soon as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a series of revival measures. Shettar asked officials to assess the impact of the slowdown on industries and submit a report on the help that could be sought from the Centre and initiatives to be taken up by the state government.

A serious overhauling is required to improve governance, Shettar said, adding that officials of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board and Karnataka Small Scale Industries Development Corporation are asked to set guidelines on price fixation on industrial layouts, site allotment and improving functioning of single window system to give clearance to set up industries. He wanted all issues sorted at the deputy commissioner’s level for investment proposal of less than `5 crore.