Dharwad (Karnataka): Former Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will start a soft drink business at Dharwad in Karnataka. The highest Test wicket-taker Muralidharan, who is already involved in the soft drink and energy drink manufacturing industry in the island nation as 'Ceylon Beverages Can Pvt Ltd' will also start setting up an aluminum cans and beverages filling plant here.
According to the information from Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) officer BT Patil, in this regard, Muttiah Muralitharan visited the land near Mummigatti Industrial Area in the Dharwad tehsil just last week. "Muralitharan is ready to invest around Rs 950 crore under the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) cluster to set up an industrial unit. The former cricketer has proposed to invest in about three phases," the senior KIADB official added.
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Rs 256.30 crore will be invested in the first phase. For this, a demand of 32 to 36 acres of land has been submitted to the state government. For this, 13.5 acres of land have been allotted by the Karnataka government in the first phase, added BT Patil.
He further informed that the company plans to expand the business in total three phases. "Cans used for cold drinks will also be manufactured. Through this, in the first phase, around 200 people will get employment," the KIADB official noted.
51-year-old Kandy-born Muralitharan, who has numerous records to his name, visited Mummigatti Industrial Area on August 5 last and inspected the land.
At the government level, the start of the business has been approved. Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board officer BT Patil said that the work is likely to start in the last week of September. Muralitharan, one of the greatest players of the game, retired with 800 Test scalps to be his name from 133 matches. Muralitharan was also part of the 1996 ODI World Cup-winning Sri Lankan team, led by charismatic skipper Arjuna Ranatunga.
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