KL Report
Jammu
About 11792 industrial units were registered under Industries and Commerce Department with an investment of Rs 1923 Crores since 2002-03 in the state. Under these units, 72340 jobs have been generated.
During the current year the construction of Sanat Ghar at Bemina Srinagar to house all the Departments/Corporations of Industries & Commerce under one roof, which came up at an estimated cost of Rs 27.21 Crores, was also completed. The information was given in a review meeting of the Industries, Commerce.
In addition, a 300 TDP capacity Grinding-cum-Packing unit was being set up at Industrial Growth Centre, Samba at an estimated cost of Rs. 26.67 Crores. A permanent Infrastructure at Trade Facilitation Centres Salamabad, Uri and Chakkanda Bagh, Poonch was being executed at an estimated cost of Rs 895.00 lacs & Rs 795.00 lacs. For the Pashmina testing and quality certification centre will be shortly set-up at Craft Development Institute Campus in Srinagar to certify Kashmir Pashmina for GI Registration.
As per a statement the Ministry of Food Processing, GOI has sanctioned a grant of Rs 7.00 Crore for implementing the National Mission for Food Processing Scheme in the state adding that the civil work for extraction of Raw magnesite from Panthal Reasi and establishment of Dead Burnt Magnesite Plant at an estimated project cost of Rs 160.00 Crores at Panthal have also been started.
Maintaining that Industrialization is key to tackle the burgeoning un-employment problem, the Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo Wednesday called for promotion of Industries with strong backward and forward linkages adding that strong raw material back up, state of the art manufacturing ability and effective marketing channels are of primary importance to withstand stiff marketing competition.
Speaking at the first review meeting of the Industries, Commerce, and allied departments and PSU’s, after taking over the charge of these departments, Kitchloo said quality control and cost effectiveness is also of vital significance to make the industrial production of J&K a thriving Industry. He said focus of the policy planners should be to develop industry which is primarily based on the locally available raw material in abundance having a vast local market also. He said it has
been observed that most of the raw material for various industries goes outside the state as we have not been able to exploit and process valuable treasure in the form of an industrial output.
“Result oriented awareness programme, exhibition and expos in and outside the State both in rural and urban areas of the country and abroad, can be significant in this regard, Kichloo added.
The Director JKEDI said in the meeting that since September 2010, the Steering Committee of Seed Capital Fund Scheme has approved 2461 DPRs in respect of 2573 entrepreneurs involving Project Cost of Rs 262.00 Crore with Seed Capital of Rs 82.00 Crores. He also informed that Rs 64.00 Crore have been released by the JKEDI in favour of 1996 ntrepreneurs for the establishment of 1910 enterprises. Out of these, the Bank has disbursed Seed Capital/Loan Amount in respect of 1199 enterprises.
Kichloo, as per the statement, also called for promotion and revival of traditional and heritage handicrafts of the state by dove-tailing it with the modern technologies in design development.
Kichloo also called for effectiveness of Single window clearance system, technical monitoring of various industrial units and removing industrial sickness by devicing workable revival plans to give a boost to industries in the state in a big way.
Kitchloo also urged for a pragmatic Industrial Policy to extract world renowned minerals especially blue sapphire (Neelam) (by activations the Deptt. for generating revenue). He also called for a proper and effective management plan to be put in place to improve the working of various PSU’s to make these financially sustainable. “Somewhere there is lack of proper management and monitoring as despite having best and attractive industrial packages available both at central and state government level, the huge industrial potential could not have been exploited fully so far”, Kichloo said and urged for identifying chronic impediments in the way of fast industrialization. He besides employment generation, industries can bring all round socio-economic transformation adding that no nation can afford to thrive without having a strong industrial base.
