"20,000 acres of land in Tumkuru": Congress MLA TB Jayachandra on Nara Lokesh's aerospace park pitch

Tumkuru (Karnataka) [India], July 16 (ANI): Amid Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh's pitch to shift the aerospace park from Karnataka, Senior Congress MLA TB Jayachandra on Wednesday said that there is 20,000 acres of land for the aerospace project in Vasantnarasapura Industrial Area of Tumkuru.
MLA Jayachandra told ANI, "The government dropped the proposal after the farmers' agitation. The alternative now is Tumkuru. In Vasantnarasapura, more than 20,000 acres of land is available. I request and propose the investors to come to Tumkuru."
On Nara Lokesh's pitch to invite aerospace investors to Andhra Pradesh, he said, "When the question of investment comes, Andhra, Tamil Nadu always invite (investors). Since Tumkuru has the infrastructure, an airbase and HAL, so many advantages are there if they come to Tumkuru."
Earlier today, Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwara assured that the state will not let investors go to other states. Parmeshwara said that if the Karnataka government is unable to provide land in Devanahalli, then they will find an alternative location.
"If we are not able to give land in Devanahalli, we will give it at some other place. We will definitely not let the other investors go to other states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. We will definitely convince them to invest in Karnataka," Parameshwara said.
This comes after Nara Lokesh made a pitch to the Aerospace industry to shift the project to Andhra Pradesh, following the Karnataka government's withdrawal of the plan to acquire land for an aerospace park in Bengaluru.
Pitching to the Aerospace industry, Lokesh said that Andhra Pradesh has an attractive aerospace policy with "best-in-class incentives" and over "8000 acres of ready-to-use land"
"Dear Aerospace industry, sorry to hear about this. I have a better idea for you. Why don't you look at Andhra Pradesh instead? We have an attractive aerospace policy for you, with best-in-class incentives and over 8000 acres of ready-to-use land (just outside Bengaluru)! Hope to see you soon to talk across the table," Nara Lokesh said in a post on X.
Earlier, the Karnataka government decided to withdraw the land acquisition of 1,777 acres of farmland in Devanahalli taluk, near the Kempegowda International Airport, for a proposed aerospace park.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced, "In keeping with our commitment to protect farmers' interests and safeguard fertile agricultural land, the Government of Karnataka has decided to completely withdraw the land acquisition process in Channarayapatna and other villages of Devanahalli taluk in Bengaluru Rural District." (ANI)