From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Feb 13: Industries Minister M B Patil has promised to hold talks with Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) to provide jobs to 34 employees of JBF Company in the Mangaluru Special Economic Zone (SEZ) following the financial trouble faced by the company.
Replying to Congress member Manjunath Bhandary in the State Legislative Council on Tuesday during the question hour, he said the State Government is in constant correspondence with the Union Government to absorb the 34 employees facing financial problem due to the problems in JBF Company.
“I will hold talks with the senior executives of Centrally-owned GAIL to absorb the employees,’’ he said.
The Minister said the JBF Company had promised to provide jobs to 115 persons, who were displaced due to land acquisition for the company in SEZ as per the norms. The company appointed 81 persons in 2012 but faced financial problems in 2017 and was shut down.
The JBF Company was handed over to GAIL under the NCLT process.
The employees of the company were paid their wages till March 2023 by GAIL. But subsequently, it decided to make appointments by conducting written and oral tests, which led to problems to the 34 employees.
Patil said under the norms, the families displaced by losing their lands for industrial purposes, must be mandatorily provided with jobs.
Viewing the humanitarian problems, the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada has held several rounds of talks with the SEZ Development Commissioner, he said.
The minister disclosed that DK District in charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, holding the Food and Civil Supplies portfolio, has held a meeting on November 7, 2023, which also directed the GMPL Company Chief Executive Officer to seek approvals for absorbing the employees.
Plastic Park in EPAP Industrial Area of Mangaluru
The Minister mentioned that a Plastic Park is being established in Industrial Area of .EPAP Second Phase of Mangaluru taluk.
The Plastic Park is coming up in 104.28 acres under the joint collaboration of Union and State Governments on 50:50 basis.
The work on establishing the Plastic Park is in progress, he said.
Congress member Manjunath Bhandary complimented the minister for his achievements in the World Economic Forum summit in Davos by attracting an investment of Rs 23,000 crore.