Karnataka nod to land deal with JSW under Opp fire
Former BJP chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has accused the Congress of adopting double standards on the deal while being in power and in opposition.
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The state Cabinet cleared the sale of land, under two lease-cum-sale agreements signed in 2006 and 2007 respectively, at a meeting on August 22. (File Photo)A controversial deal to sell two parcels of land measuring 3,667 acres to steel major JSW in the Ballari region of Karnataka, which was earlier contested by both Congress and BJP leaders, has been given the final nod by the Siddaramaiah government citing a March 2024 High Court order. The state Cabinet cleared the sale of land, under two lease-cum-sale agreements signed in 2006 and 2007 respectively, at a meeting on August 22.
“The Commerce and Industries Department has sought grant of clear land titles for 2,000.58 acres of land in Tornagal and Karekupa villages in Ballari’s Sandur taluk and of 1,666.73 acres of land in Tornagal, Moosanayakanhalli and Yarabanahalli villages to Ms JSW Steel Ltd. The Cabinet has approved this decision,” Karnataka law minister H K Patil said.
“We had protested against the grant of land and the matter was referred to a Cabinet sub-committee. The company went to court for an order to grant the land and in the context of the court order the Cabinet has decided to grant the land,” the law minister said. Under the deal, JSW Steel will get the land at a price of Rs 1,50,635 per acre.
In case the cost of acquisition of 944 acres of alternative land for Karnataka Power Corporation Limited is higher than the value for which the land is being sold to JSW Steel, then the cost difference will be met by JSW Steel Ltd, according to the conditions laid down in the original lease-cum-sale agreements.
Some BJP leaders have raised questions over the sale of the land. Deputy leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad, who had gone against the BJP’s government’s Cabinet decisions in 2020 to sell the land to JSW Steel, has once again cited “internal agreements” in the deal.
State Industries Minister M B Patil also cited the High Court directive of March 12, 2024 for the Cabinet decision to “implement the order issued on May 6, 2021 during the Yediyurappa-led BJP government… If there has been any internal agreement, it must be with his (Bellad) own party (BJP),” Patil said. The minister said JSW Steel, which has invested Rs 90,000 crore in Karnataka, has created 50,000 jobs. He said, “Failing to execute the lease-cum-sale deed… would send a wrong message to investors.”
Former BJP chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has accused the Congress of adopting double standards on the deal while being in power and in opposition. “We had previously reconsidered our stance on this due to opposition, but now the same Congress leaders who had strongly opposed it are in favour of the deal,” Bommai said.
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