Bengaluru: The Karnataka government will seek response of IT major Infosys on the accusation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Arvind Bellad that the company has failed to provide jobs to local residents in Hubbali, where it has set up a campus on land provided by the government at subsidised rates.

In response to Bellad’s concerns, Karnataka’s industries minister MB Patil assured that thorough investigations would be conducted into the matter.

“If any company has taken land at the subsidised rate, they have received a government incentive. In such a case, the company should provide jobs to those who have lost their lands, according to the educational qualifications of the family members. If the company doesn’t do it, we will withdraw the incentives and can also take back the land given,” he said.

He said, the government is committed to ensuring that incentives are not misused and that land grants are utilised for their intended purposes, with strict consequences for non-compliance.

“We will look into all such cases as to what legal action can be taken. More than just giving them a penalty withdrawing the benefit would be a stricter action. If the company has not given jobs after taking the incentive, we will issue notices as the earliest and go ahead with further action,” Patil stated.

“Under the Industrial Policy 2020-25, companies receiving incentives from the government must provide 100% Group D jobs and an overall 70% jobs to Kannadigas. Be it Infosys or any company, if people who lost land aren’t given jobs based on their educational qualifications, we can withdraw incentives. We can also withdraw the land in stringent action,” added the minister.

Arvind Bellad, who represents Hubbali-Dharwad West constituency for BJP, raised concerns about Infosys’ failure to generate employment opportunities at its Hubballi campus, despite being granted 58 acres of land in his home constituency.

Bellad, also serving as the deputy leader of the opposition, went as far as demanding the government to reclaim the land allocated to Infosys.

The MLA recounted his efforts to persuade local farmers to surrender their land for the project, assuring them of job prospects for their children.

“I convinced the farmers to give up their land saying a company like Infosys would give jobs to their children. They had gone to the court, but I made them withdraw the cases. But now I can’t look them in the eye. We also gave up land for the airport there, but no jobs were created there as well. What do we tell them?” he asked during the ongoing Assembly session.

Bellad pointed out that the discounted rate of ₹35 lakh per acre at which the land was granted, was significantly below its market value of ₹1.5 crore per acre.

“Infosys promised jobs, but all we got were empty promises and trees. Infosys Hubbali was granted 58 acres of land which is in my constituency to foster employment for the entire North Karnataka region, yet it has failed to deliver on job creation. As a representative, I can’t face the farmers I pacified anymore. It’s time for Infosys to face the consequences and for the government to reclaim the land that’s rightfully ours,” he later wrote on X.

The land adjacent to the airport was allocated to the company in 2015, followed by an investment of around ₹350 crore for the development of a substantial office campus. This campus became operational in 2018. The clearance for Infosys’ Hubballi campus, with a capacity to accommodate 1,500 employees, was granted in 2013.

Infosys was immediately available for comment.