Industrial infrastructure, power supply, and road conditions dominate MSME concerns in Mysuru

Industrial infrastructure gaps and service bottlenecks in Mysuru’s industrial areas came under sharp focus at an interaction meeting organised by the Mysore District Small Scale Industries Association (MDSSIA) along with the newly elected council members of the Karnataka State Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA).

The meeting, held in the city recently, was attended by entrepreneurs, association office-bearers, and government officials.

C.M. Subramanian, secretary, MDSSIA, said that among the foremost issues raised were poor road conditions in major industrial clusters, persistent power disruptions, and the lack of new industrial estates in the district.

Entrepreneurs pointed out that despite repeated representations to the Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner of Hootagalli Municipal Council, road development in Koorgalli, Hootagalli, and other hubs had seen little progress.

Though a section of KASSIA representatives said that the district administration have been apprised of the issue and works were expected to begin soon, there was scepticism about the outcome.

Power supply was identified as another pressing challenge, especially in the Koorgalli Industrial Area where daily outages were reported to be affecting production schedules. Members underlined that reliable power is critical for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many of which operate on tight margins and face steep penalties when delivery timelines are missed.

The meeting also discussed the absence of new industrial estates in Mysuru for nearly three decades. While the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation (KSSIDC) had developed estates in the 1980s and 1990s, no additions have been made by way of expansion or creating new industrial areas so as to attract more investment, according to the takeholders.

Several members suggested that entrepreneurs should explore the possibility of creating private industrial estates to meet the growing demand for serviced plots.

Another concern voiced was the limited industrial linkage with large manufacturers. Local SMEs noted that major companies in Mysuru have been outsourcing their components from outside Karnataka and had reduced their procurement from Mysuru-based suppliers. This trend, members said, eroded the business opportunities that small and micro units had traditionally depended upon, the stakeholders pointed out.

K.B. Lingaraju, president, Mysore Chamber of Industries and Commerce, said MSMEs are dependent on medium and large industries, some of whom are procuring components from other States. This trend emerged during the Covid pandemic and has affected local players, he said.

The issue of property tax collection by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) also came up, with entrepreneurs calling for clarity and consistency in assessment procedures.

Responding to these concerns, Mysuru District Joint Director of Industries Sivalingu acknowledged the challenges and assured members that the department would take up the issues with higher authorities. He emphasised the importance of continuous dialogue between industry associations and government agencies to arrive at practical solutions.