Jammu industrial units rue lack of incentives

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 20

Industrialists have expressed resentment with the PDP-BJP government for its failure to grant fiscal incentives to manufacturing units in the state.

The Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) has alleged that there is a sharp decline in the industrial growth rate in the state post-GST due to the non-availability of fiscal incentives to new units.

A delegation had also met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu a few days back.

“Nobody wants to invest in the state and those who had pledged to invest are leaving due to the lack of incentives. Due to the non-availability of job avenues in the state, educated youth, too, are going to other states in search of jobs,” said Lalit Mahajan, president, BBIA.

Mahajan demanded that industrialists in the state should receive fiscal incentives on a par with the north-eastern states to save its units which provide employment to thousands of youth.

“Despite decades of terrorist violence, industrial units are working amid great odds. The peaceful states surrounding J&K are far ahead in the business sector and the state suffers from bad publicity,” said Rattan Dogra, a member of the industries association.

“We are demanding a refund of the GST on a monthly basis instead of a quarterly basis, budgetary support to the units under substantial expansion and new units also,” said Jatinder Aul, a prominent businessman.

The BBIA is also demanding relief for micro and small-scale units having an annual turnover of less than Rs 1.5 crore by a refund of 42 per cent CGST with the reimbursement of 5 per cent incentive on the sale turnover to such units covered under the SRO 63 who are selling their product within the state.

In a statement, the BBIA has said the Chief Minister has assured them that their issues will be resolved on a priority basis and the matter has already been taken up with the Union Government for the extension of central package of incentives on a par with the north-eastern states.