JCCI meets Union minister Pankaj Choudhary; bats for setting up of new PSUs in railway, defence in Jammu region

The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on Tuesday met Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Choudhary here and batted for establishing new public sector undertakings in railway and defence sectors in the Jammu region.

A delegation of JCCI met Choudhary here and submitted a memorandum, which, among other things, demanded setting up of new public sector undertakings by the government to generate employment and give fillip to the economy of the Union territory.

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Led by JCCI President Arun Gupta, the delegation also sought refund of SGST to industrial units and benefits of new industrial policy to existing unit holders while opposing any move by big companies to open stores in the retail sector in the Jammu region.

"There is a dire need for establishing new public sector undertakings in the Jammu province; and in this regard, the industries of railway and defence sectors are the best options.

"Such units should be established by the central government as it will undoubtedly generate huge employment opportunities for the youth besides giving a fillip to the UT's economy," Gupta told the minister.

The Union minister reached Jammu on Monday as part of the central government's public outreach programme and held a series of meetings with government officials besides interacting with BJP leaders and various delegations.

On September 22, the JCCI sponsored a strike in the Jammu region against alleged "directionless policies" of the government detrimental to the interests of the business community.

Among other things, the chamber expressed its resentment against the decision of the lieutenant governor administration to stop the 'Darbar move' under which the government used to rotate its seat between the twin capitals for six months each.

The Gupta-led delegation sought refund of SGST to industrial units of UT of J&K and also demanded the benefits of the recently announced New Industrial Policy to the existing industrial units of the Jammu region, the JCCI said in a statement here.

Expressing resentment over the opening of retail stores by big companies in Jammu, the JCCI said "if this happens then the small shopkeepers of Jammu will be ruined and their shops will be closed".

The delegation also pitched for tapping of the huge tourism potential in Jammu province, the statement said.

The JCCI said the delegation also discussed various other issues, including stopping of darbar move, clarity on land and labour policy, completion of pending projects, delay in payment to contractors, issues of wine traders, sand mining and crushers and brick kiln trade.