Srinagar: Industrialists Association of Khunmoh on Sunday demanded breathing period of six months for units holders whose provisional registration has expired .
While the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has declared Jammu and Kashmir as an ‘Emerging State’ for startups in India, the Department of Industries and Commerce (DIC) is ‘mulling to shun’ emerging entrepreneurs of the Valley, the Association said.
“There are 134 plots where the construction of production units is almost complete. The Industrial policy they were following was formed in 2004, was changed in 2016. However, when the policy changed in 2016, the former policy became null and void. According to the new policy, the production was supposed to start within 2 years as per the new Industrial policy 2016. But due to mass uprising in the Valley after Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani’s killing in 2016, and a cloudburst in Khonmoh 2017, the construction could not be completed within the new stipulated time given in industrial policy 2016,”the Association said.
“They were given an extension. Meanwhile, some among them have taken heavy loans from banks to get the work done,’ the association said, adding, “Banks sometimes do not finance on time, PDD or pollution control board does not give sanctions on time. These hurdles create further delay. And the authorities need to consider our constraints.”
Now, the association said, the authorities have decided to retrieve the land whose provisional registration has expired, most among them being fresher’s.
The Association of Khunmoh demanded extension for the validity of their registration for 6 months as a breathing period.
“So far, together all the entrepreneurs here have invested almost Rs 40 Crore. A delegation from industrialists Association Khunmoh comprising of President, Zubair Butt senior vice president Qaisar Shahid Khan and Vice president Yasser Yousuf Khan submitted a representation to Principal Secretary to the Jammu and Kashmir Government Shaleen Kabra, Advisor to Governor K K Sharma, MD State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO). However, the association said it did not receive any positive response from them.