Industry captains want Punjab govt to deal with protests ‘effectively’

Ruchika M Khanna

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Chandigarh, December 6

Industrialists from across the state, who met Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today to discuss the new industrial policy, have urged the state government to effectively deal with the farmer and truck unions, whose “assertiveness” is weaning away industrial investment from the state.

The businessmen, representing different segments of the industry, also pointed out that the hard-earned image of the state as an ideal destination for investment because of no past history of industrial strife was being tarnished because of frequent dharnas and protests by farmer unions, including the long protest outside the ethanol manufacturing plant-cum-distillery at Zira.

Though the meeting was called to discuss provisions in the draft industrial policy of the AAP government, industrialists wanted the CM’s assurance that the government would not go soft on the unions, which were often staging dharnas “for extraneous reasons”.

RS Sachdeva, chair, Punjab chapter of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the issue of frequent roadblocks by unions was impacting smooth movement of industrial goods. “Investors have become wary. We are a border state where few industrialists want to invest. This souring of relations between industry and unions is the last thing we want,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister had responded positively to the issue.

Echoing similar sentiment, Gurmeet Singh Kular, president of the Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisations (FICO), said there were complaints of farmer unions intervening in industrial disputes and truck unions dictating terms as they try to monopolise the transport business. “CM Mann asked us to immediately inform the deputy commissioners in case of any road blocks by unions or anyone trying to hold us to ransom. Mann assured us that these coercive tactics by unions won’t work and no roads will be allowed to be blocked,” he added.

Recently the Chief Minister had called out the unions saying some of them were trying to hold the state government to ransom by organising dharnas to get their demands fulfilled. He had accused them of doing so for “monetary considerations”.

Ashok Sethi, president of the Rice Millers’ Association, Amritsar, said they had pointed out to the CM how this was hitting the state’s image as an investment destination. “We are badly in need of fresh investment to boost the state’s secondary sector contribution in economic growth and for giving employment to our youth. We cannot afford to take things casually, but have to woo investors. Our biggest USP has been a history of industrial peace, which has to be restored,” he said.

Major demands of industry

• Abolish Punjab Development Tax
• Do not cap incentives for investors
• Restore the incentive on GST refunds as in the previous policy
• Do not increase power tariff, which is expected to go up to Rs 5.50 per unit next year
• Diversify to basmati to get maximum revenue through exports and save water depletion
• Include tourism and integrated bio-ethanol projects in Thrust Sector
• Encourage solar power generation

What the CM promised

• The government will set up 20 dedicated rural industrial hubs in the state
• Mooted the idea of “One District, One Product” to ensure production of specialised goods
• Strengthening the single window system for facilitating investors
• Pending issues pertaining to change in land use to be resolved soon
• Status of Thrust Sector to be given to auto and auto components and electrical vehicles, sports goods among others