Industrialists urge govt to come to their rescue

Mahesh Sharma

Malerkotla, June 22

Office-bearers and activists of various organisations working for welfare of owners and managers of small and cottage industrial units have urged the newly constituted Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to rescue of those units which have been suffering due to the ‘indifference’ of successive governments towards their genuine demands.

The demand was raised during a meeting of industrialists and entrepreneurs held under supervision of chamber president Sajiv Sood and vice chairman Kitty Chopra.

Setting up of a Focal Point district (industrial and modern), linking of the city with gas pipeline, liberalisation of terms to issue CLU ( Change of Land Use ) , easing procedure for seeking permission for expansion and renovation of premises, consumer friendly power supply policy, concessions for industry supporting special sectors and removal of alleged ambiguity and complications of frequently changing taxation policy, were cited among major factors affecting growth and stability in the region.

Entrepreneurs alleged growth and viability of a large number of small and cottage industrial units had been adversely affected due to unconcern of successive governments at the Central and the state and implementation of unfriendly industrial policies.

Industrialists regretted that successive governments had failed to keep their promises to liberalise policies for establishing new units and expanding old ones, besides simplifying routine procedures.

“While we expected that the earlier Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would impress upon the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to simplify procedure to obtain change of land use (CLU) and other administrative permissions, things have continued worsening, both in the Union Government and the state government,” said Sood, alleging that a substantial number of industrial units had suffered sickness during past decades.

He regretting that Industrial Focal Point established in early sixties and about one dozen sheds allotted later lacked ideal facilities and entrepreneurs had been forced to suffer massive losses due to unconcern of the governments in the Centre and the state.

High power tariff with persistent increase, unclear and unstable taxation policy under GST and routine procedural complications were cited among other factors which had disappointed the industrialists and entrepreneurs in the past.