Jammu, 01-09-2023: A Meeting of the Federation of Industries, Jammu was held today under the Chairmanship of Sh. T.S. Reen in the presence of Sh. Lalit Mahajan, Sh. Jatinder Aul & Sh. Deepak Dhawan Co-Chairmen, FOIJ, Sh. Viraaj Malhotra Secretary General, Sh. Pardeep Vaid Convenor and other Members of FOIJ.
Federation of Industries, Jammu demanded Price/ Purchase Preference for procurement of Goods/ Works from Local MSME Units by State/ Central Govt. Departments working in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
During the course of discussions, the members present in the meeting raised serious concerns about the negative attitude of the Govt. Departments related to the Industrial Sector resulting in the Existing MSME Units on the verge of closure which may result in the retracement of Lakhs of Industrial Workers in the near future.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Fiscal Incentives announced by Govt. exist only on Paper as the Industries Department failed to release the pending Claims amounting to the app. Rs.210 Crores for the Financial Year 2021-22 in spite of repeated requests and reminders to enhance the Budgetary allocations from Rs. 50 Crores to Rs. 210 Crores resulting the working capital of the Existing Units standing blocked.
With respect of Marketing Support to Existing Industrial Units after 5th August 2019, all is not well, as the major purchase has been shifted to the GeM Portal by ignoring the Price /Purchase Preference Incentives given by the previous Govt. in the past. It is not possible for the Existing MSME Units to procure the orders due to higher prices of Raw Materials due to locational disadvantages. Further the Govt. Departments purchasing the goods through the tendering process always prefer to buy goods from outside suppliers for the reasons best known to the concerned Officials by imposing certain conditions resulting in thousands of MSME Units dependent on the Govt. The department supplies through SICOP facing the closure in near future as the sale Marketing through SICOP has been reduced.
We wish to draw the kind attention of Hon’ble Union Home Minister Sh. Amit Shah that the present focus of the Industries Department is only towards the establishment of New Units for which the Developed Land is not available resulting in numbers of Proposed Investors already shifted to other States and on the other hand due to the Negative attitude of the Industries and Finance Department the Existing Working Units are suffering very badly.
The other issues discussed in the meeting with respect of the non-availability of Fiscal Incentives to Existing Units on Substantial Expansion, Power Amnesty, Non-availability of Funds with J&K SIDCO/ SICOP for the Upgradation and Cleaning of Existing Industrial Estate and pending cases of the Delayed Payment Act in the office of the Chairman, Facilitation Council, etc.
We humbly request Hon’ble Lt. Governor Sh. Manoj Sinha and Sh. Vikramjit Singh, (IPS) Commissioner Industries & Commerce Department to constitute a high-level committee with the participation of stakeholders to resolve the issue for the survival of the Existing Industrial Units that are providing Employment to Local People.