 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 11: Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Jammu Chapter, Rahul Sahai, today submitted a detailed set of recommendations to Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Atal Dulloo, IAS, during the Stakeholders Interaction on Ease of Doing Business held in Jammu.
Appreciating the Government of Jammu & Kashmir for organising the consultation, Rahul Sahai said that such stakeholder interactions provide an important platform for constructive dialogue between the administration and industry, trade and other sectors. He welcomed the efforts of the government towards deregulation and reduction of compliances under Phase-1 of Ease of Doing Business reforms, while expressing confidence that Phase-2 reforms will further strengthen the investment and business ecosystem in the Union Territory.
During the interaction, Sahai presented a comprehensive memorandum covering issues and suggestions related to Industry, Trade, MSMEs, Education, Tourism, IT and Revenue administration, highlighting the need for focused policy attention to ensure balanced economic development and employment generation in Jammu & Kashmir.
Raising concerns about the industrial sector, he pointed out that several traditional industrial groups from Jammu are gradually shifting their investments to other states due to factors such as availability of skilled labour, lower compliance burdens and better market access. He urged the government to introduce supportive incentives and policy measures to strengthen existing industries, while also proposing skill development initiatives for local youth aligned with the requirements of upcoming industries. He also suggested freehold rights for old industrial estates such as Gangyal, Digiana, Birpur and Bari Brahmana to encourage further investment and modernization.
Highlighting issues affecting labour-intensive local industries, Sahai drew attention to the stress being faced by sectors such as flour mills, brick kilns, steel, tiles and edible oil units due to raw material purchase rate disparities and rising operational challenges. He suggested policy interventions such as compensatory mechanisms or incentives to support local manufacturing and protect employment.He highlighted 6 % mandi tax issue levied by Punjab Government and suggested to smoothen availability of raw material by FCI or introduce entry tax @7% for finished atta , suji , maida coming from other states. |
