The Biz Reporter
Jammu, Jan 6: In a significant development for the business community in Jammu & Kashmir, President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Javed Ahmad Tenga, met with Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha on January 4 in Jammu. The meeting aimed to address pressing issues faced by the business community, with a memorandum submitted to the Lt. Governor highlighting key concerns.
Tourism Challenges:
a) Renewal of Tourism Registration Licenses: The prolonged delays and absence of a Single Window system for the renewal of licenses for hotels, guest houses, restaurants, and houseboats were discussed. The stakeholders emphasized the need for adherence to Ease of Doing Business norms and a streamlined process.
b) Infrastructure Deterioration: The deteriorating state of hospitality sector infrastructure, specifically the non-issuance of permissions for repairs, renovation, and reconstruction of hotels in prominent tourist destinations like Pahalgham, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Srinagar, was brought to the Lt. Governor’s attention. Upgrading these properties was deemed essential to meet modern amenities and facilities.
Industry Concerns:
The KCCI sought Lt. Governor’s intervention in implementing Industrial Policies effectively and addressing other industry-related issues.
Education Sector Challenges:
a) Tagging of Schools: The proposed tagging of 125 J&K BOSE affiliated private schools with government schools raised concerns about its impact on employees and students. The KCCI proposed a one-year extension for these schools to comply with required compliances.
b) Standardization of J&K BOSE Books: The KCCI suggested a deferment of two years for the standardization of J&K BOSE books in line with NEP-2020. This would provide relief to publishers, representatives, book sellers, and their families involved in the sector.
Banking Issues:
The KCCI urged the Lt. Governor to announce an uncapped and longer period valid One Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme by the Jammu & Kashmir Bank, benefitting both the banks and borrowers. This gesture, it was argued, would send positive signals to the business community.
Power Amnesty to Commercial Consumers:
The KCCI requested the announcement of amnesty for commercial power consumers, akin to the amnesty granted to domestic consumers.
In response, Lt. Governor Sinha assured the KCCI team that the raised issues would be addressed. The President expressed gratitude for the time and opportunity to present these vital trade-related concerns. The Senior Vice President, Ashaq Hussain Shangloo, and Treasurer, Zubair Mahajan, were also present during the meeting.
On January 5, the KCCI team had a meeting with the Principal Secretary of Agriculture Production, Shailendra Kumar. The discussions revolved around withheld subsidies and other pertinent issues within the Agriculture Department. Kumar promptly issued on-the-spot orders to address the concerns raised by the KCCI team, marking a positive step towards resolving agricultural challenges in the region.
