Chandigarh industrialists to approach Centre for resolution of issues

Chandigarh, July 12

Industrialists have decided to approach the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for redressal of their problems after the UT Administration could not do the needful.

Since the UT Administration has sent all issues of the industrialists to the MHA for approval, the Joint Action Committee, an association of industrialists, has sought time from the ministry. Representatives of industrialists are expected to get an appointment next week. The industrialists are likely to meet Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

Matters have been pending for 15 years

Industrialists have raised problems before the UT Administration on several occasions. The Administrator gave assurances, but nothing happened. Since all our cases have been sent to the Home Ministry for clearance, we decided to approach the ministry. Our issues have been pending for 15 years. Due to this, industrialists are shifting to Panchkula and Mohali. —Avi Bhasin, Chairman, Laghu Udyog Bharti

The industrialists have also decided to raise their issues during a meeting of the Advisory Council of the Administration to be held soon.

They said files of many cases of industrialists were stuck with the MHA. In the past three years, more than 30% industrialists from the city have shifted to Mohali and Panchkula due to problems faced by them, they added.

The UT Administration had implemented the Industrial Policy in 2015, but according to them, they did not get any relief and the problems remained the same. In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, both the Congress and the BJP had promised to address the problems of industrialists in their manifestos.

On July 5, the office-bearers of Laghu Udyog Bharti had met the UT Administrator regarding their problems.

The matter of leasehold to freehold is stuck with the MHA. Nearly 80% of industrialists operating from the Industrial Area have received notices of misuse and violation.

Industrialists said the MSME Act had been implemented by the Central Government, under which industrialists could change their business. However, an industrialist doing it in the city is sent a notice of misuse.

Industrialists are demanding a conversion policy in addition to leasehold to freehold. The Administration has already sent these cases to the MHA for approval. The Administration had also not been able to bring a policy for one-time settlement of old cases of VAT, they said.

More than 4,000 industrialists operate from Phases 1 and 2 of the Industrial Area.