Kalaburagi/Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has finally started process of handing over 250 acres land in Yadgir district to Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd to set up a greenfield bottling plant.

The previous Bharatiya Janata Party government had cleared Coca-Cola’s investment plan in Yadgir. But due to a High Court stay, the government could not allot the land immediately.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said the government had approved land for setting up a Coca-Cola factory at the proposed industrial area near Kadechur and Badiyal villages in Yadgir district.

He said he held talks with Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited on Friday and decided to accept its proposal to set up its soft drink plan in Yadgir.

The government decided to draw 25 MLD of water for the industrial area from Joladgi-Gudur barrage built across River Bhima.

Textile Minister Baburao Chinchansoor said water would be drawn from Bhima and Krishna rivers for the plant. However, when asked, Siddaramaiah did not say where the government intended to draw the water from for the industrial area and the cola factory.

Ratna Prabha, State Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industry Department, said the company is expected to invest Rs. 1,000 crore in Yadgir. She said that the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has started making payments to land owners in Yadgir, and the area has been notified for industrial development. The KIADB will soon hand over complete 250 acres at Kadechur village in Yadgir taluk to the company.

Fertile land

Nearly 3,330 acres at Kadechur and Baliyala have been reserved for industrial purpose. Spread across three taluks — Shahapur, Shorapur and Yadgir — the district is known for its cluster of cement industries and a distinct stone popularly know as ‘Malakheda Stone’. The district has a vast stretch of fertile black cotton soil and is known for red gram, cotton, jowar and groundnut cultivation.

(Agencies)