Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil on July 8 urged actor Prakash Raj to protest land acquisition in other states too, as he has in Devanahalli over the proposed Aerospace and Defence Park.
Speaking to reporters, Patil said, "Andhra Pradesh government has acquired 10,000 acres of land from Madakashira to Penugonda, bordering our state, for a similar purpose and is even offering the land free of cost. Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra government also acquired 45,000 acres for industrial purposes. It has been widely reported that Andhra Pradesh allotted land to companies like Infosys, Cognizant, and TCS at just 99 paise per acre. Does Prakash Raj not see these developments?”
In Karnataka, Patil said, government has decided to acquire just 1,282 acres for the proposed hi-tech aerospace and defence park.
Also, read: Aequs flies beyond Bengaluru: Nearly every aircraft delivered globally today has parts made in Belagavi
He further pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government has been expanding industries in Hosur, which is located just 50 km from Bengaluru. “They're planning an international airport there and allotting land at subsidised rates. If Andhra attracts the aerospace and defence park, firms may shift, causing huge losses to Karnataka,” Patil warned.
Karnataka leads India’s aerospace and defence sector with a 65 percent share and ranks third globally, Patil said. “With major firms already in Devanahalli, the proposed new park aims to boost this ecosystem. All affected farmers in Devanahalli will be compensated under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act”
Patil said he and CM Siddaramaiah will meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday to seek two defence corridors for Karnataka- one in Kolar–Chikkaballapur and another in Hubballi–Belagavi.
“Karnataka, a top contributor to aerospace and defence, was unfairly left out when Tamil Nadu and UP got corridors. Even Rajnath Singh acknowledged this at GIM 2025,” he said, adding that companies like Aequs already operate in Belagavi.
“We’re not opposing projects in other states-just demanding what Karnataka deserves,” he said.
The meeting between CM Siddaramaiah and Devanahalli farmers on July 4 ended in a deadlock, with the government seeking 10 more days to clarify its stand on the proposed land acquisition. Farmers from 13 villages, opposing the project for over 1,000 days, are demanding the cancellation of the 1,777-acre acquisition. Citing legal hurdles, the CM said a final decision would follow consultations with experts, while farmers plan to continue protests till July 15.
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