Industrial associations seek exemption from Power tariff hike, measures to save existing units
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In an unprecedented move, the heads of all associations related to industries and commerce after long time have come on a single platform to initiate a decisive campaign to save the industrial units of Jammu region.
In this regard a joint meeting of heads of various industrial associations was held here on Saturday at the Chamber House in which Arun Gupta President CCI Jammu, Rajesh Jain Chairman of Federation of Industries, Lalit Mahajan President Bari Brahamana Industries Association and Vijay Aggarwal President Association of Industries Samba participated.
The first issue is that pertaining to the demand for exempting industrial sector from proposed power tariff increase and second one is that of extension of validity of Provisional registration of industrial units.
Arun Gupta raised serious concern over the proposal of hike in power tariff by JPDCL.
He said that the proposed hike shall not only hit the existing industrial units below the belt but would also send bad signal to the upcoming investors in J&K for which the government is making relentless efforts.
Rajesh Jain said that the Apex Project Clearance Committee in its meeting held on December 8, 2021 granted extension in the validity of provisional registration upto June 30, 2022 to the units which had not commenced production within the stipulated time.
He added that such industrial units are in the process of commencement of production but due to certain unavoidable circumstances including non-sanctioning of loan, delay in supply of machinery by the supplier , non issuance of certificate from PCB, non-sanctioning of power, etc they are not in a position to commence their production before June 30, 2022.
He appealed to the government to take effective steps by extending the validity of provisional registration of the aforesaid industrial units by at least one year.
Lalit Mahajan said that on one hand the Govt is asking multinational companies to invest in Jammu and Kashmir while on the other hand it is not thinking seriously about the existing industries that are suffering due to multiple factors especially that of shortage of power that has created a crisis situation out of which it is almost impossible to come out without Govt’s active support and augmentative measures.
He said that the Govt should frame power policies which are industries friendly, failing which the PM’s dream of enormous investments in J&K will get defeated.
Vijay Aggarwal said that the Industrialists are highly irked by the Anti-Existing Industries stance of the Govt as its successive steps or initiatives taken during the past two years seem to be devoid of any help and assistance to the already existing industrial units in Jammu and Kashmir.
He accused the Govt of deliberately not paying heed to the concerns of existing industrial units for the reasons best known to the Union Territory Administration.
Those who were present in the meeting include Gaurav Gupta, Secretary General CCI, Rajesh Gupta, Secretary, Rajesh Gupta, Treasurer, Jagdish Langer, Rahul Bansal, S.B Abrol, Ravnish Gulati, Virender Jain, Vishal Gupta and Malhotra.
