Absence of single-window clearance irks Phagwara traders

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, August 30

The long claims of the SAD-BJP government about providing better infrastructure, relief to traders and industrialists have not translated into reality in industrial town Phagwara as stagnation in industry is being observed.

But much more harassing to the industrialists is the fact that the facilities available are not under one roof.

Industry Department officials and senior executive engineer of PSPCL Pawan Beesla claimed that not even a single industrial unit of Phagwara had been closed or has been forced to migrate.

The XEN even claimed that 1,571 industrial power connections are presently running in Phagwara.

Big industrialists have set up their units in Himachal Pradesh to avail subsidies, but none of them have closed their units in Phagwara.

Laghu Udhyog Bharti (LUB) Punjab vice-president Ashok Gupta said that industrialists are facing harassment in getting VAT refunds and no-objection certificates from the Pollution Department.  Gupta stressed on the need for a district-level Industry Department office, industrial focal point and industrial zone in Phagwara. 

He said that the government has instructed all industrialists to set up their industries in industrial zones by 2018. Presently, only 500 out of 1,500 industries here are running from non-industrial zones. The blockage of sewerage and accumulation of rain water are the biggest problems being faced by the industrialists of Phagwara town. LUB vice-president Gupta said that motor spare parts, diesel engine parts, tractor parts manufacturers in the industrial town are facing recession due to the wrong and direction-less policies of the government.

Gupta said that as the state government has failed to provide a "single-window system" to the industrialists, several big guns have set up parallel units in neighbouring states. 

Phagwara is the main hub of exporters in Doaba as thousands of traders are exporting diesel and motor spare parts, garments, utensils, sarees, household goods etc.  But even exporters are feeling suffocated due to the indifferent policies of the state government. 

LUB representative Ashok Gupta said, "The initiative of the government to invite foreign companies and NRIs to set up industries in the state is welcome, but the government should first take care of the interests of those industrialists who have been earning revenue for the state for so long."