They raised questions, shared concerns, asked industry officials to stop video of PM

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 25

It was not a normal meeting between officials of the industries department and industrialists, where generally the industry officials are seen giving demonstrations and explaining the plans, while the industrialists are mostly spectators.

Instead, the industrialists were proactive today and putting questions to Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Punjab, Rakesh Verma, who had come during the Powerpoint presentation of the newly notified Industrial and Business Development Policy 2017.

The highlight of the meeting was when officials started playing the video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, explaining the policy “Zero defect, zero effect” for the MSMEs. At this, the industrialists in unison asked the officials to stop the video and said, “Asi nahee sunna chahunde PM nu, aap hi dass dao tusi policy bare, Ye jab bhi bolte hain, darr lagta hai,”, after which the video had to be stopped.

The industrialists raised concerns and apprehensions over the possibility of the implementation of this “new” policy. They said there was no mention of how their VAT refunds would be back, or how to end Inspector Raj, raised freight issues and to improve the already existing units. They also said that Rs 5 per unit electricity for the industrialists was just an eyewash.

Pritpal Singh from the rubber industry, who was the first one to start the questionnaire round, started by saying, “Bukhar jeda saada sau siga pehela, GST naal 104 ho gaya (We had a fever of 100 degree F which has now gone up to 104 degree F after the implementation of the GST”.

He said the upcoming generation does not want to work here as they are seeing the pathetic condition of the industries in Punjab.

We have been arranging meetings with MLAs and various officials, but not getting out VAT refund which has been lying pending with the government for the last many years.

“Eh policiya asi aape dekh laange, saada asal mudda VAT refund te solve karo,” he said. He said the issue of the GST was confusing too. “Saanu te pata hi nahee ki GST bare puchna kisnu hai, Rabb nu puchna hai k kinnu (We do not know who will solve our problem related to the GST, Do we need to ask God or someone else,” he said.

Another industrialist said forget about the new industrial units, at least pay some heed to the already existing units, the state will automatically thrive.

Every industrialist said no one wanted to remain here owing to a sombre picture of the industry in Punjab.

“What should we say to our children who do not want to work with us anymore,” they asked.

Another industrialist addressed his fellow industrialists as ‘Mere dukhi industrialists bhravo’ (My sad industrialists brothers)’ and said he had doubts if the incentives that had been mentioned in the policy would actually be given by the government.

Narinder Saggu, a leading industrialist of the city, said the industrialists were the biggest factor in the change of the government in the state and now their concerns should definitely be looked into.

Charanjit Singh Maingi, general secretary, Jalandhar Chamber of Industries and Commerce, pressed upon the need for the widening of the road and providing street-lights at the Dhogri industrial park in the city, as in that area, already 10-15 industrial units were operating.

He said the government was planning to create a new industrial focal point that would require Rs 100 crore which was not feasible and with the widening of the road, at the cost of just Rs 3 crore, the city wouldget the new focal point.

The session ended with Rakesh Verma assuring and requesting the industrialists to read the policy first and then send their suggestions.