SRINAGAR: Kashmir Small Scale Industrial Association (KSSIA) has impressed upon the government to frame a high level committee for identifying, acknowledging and mitigating the severe problems of existing industrial enterprises in the interest of putting them back on rails for working towards economic development and employment generation.
In a day-long meeting of the general members of the valley’s oldest association KSSIA, presided over by its President Syed Fazal Illahi, the members highlighted many chronic problems which come in a way to smooth operations of the existing units.
The issues were raised in presence of former Presidents of FCIK who presently carry out their responsibilities in the Advisory Council.
The members pointed out that the lower product market demand had drastically affected and reduced the productivity of units to all time low more so because of withdrawal of the policy of purchase and price preference afforded to the local units by government departments.
The members expressed anguish that huge money on account of supply of goods was held up with departments for months and years on one or the other pretext.
The members expressed apprehensions that the One Time Settlement Scheme launched by J&K Bank for NPAs between 15 lacs and 10 Crores was unlikely to yield desired results unless and until it was backed and supported by a workable policy of the government for rehabilitation of sick industrial units.
“Whereas the scheme launched by the bank should have been non-discriminatory with its applicability on all NPAs in the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh irrespective of the amount, the time period for liquidation of settled amount has to be feasible and practicable” observed the members.
While pinpointing the deficiencies in the industrial policy and confusions created by its guidelines and other circulars, the members also expressed their dissatisfaction over the pace and quality of the developmental works being executed by SICOP in the industrial estate.
Speaking on the occasion, President KSSIA endorsed the problems highlighted by members and urged upon the representatives of FCIK to take these up with appropriate authorities for their resolution.
He conveyed gratitude to the team-FCIK for having resolved power related issues in the estates and said that members had increased hopes with them to address their other issues.
He said that KSSIA, as a constituent of FCIK, will extend its full support and cooperation to the organisation in its ensuing elections in order to install in a vibrant team at the helm of the organisation.
Former Presidents of FCIK Mehraj ud Din Qureshi, Syed Shakeel Qalander, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Mir assured the meeting of putting in best efforts from the platform of the apex organisation for mitigation of issues and problems of existing units. While acknowledging that the issues raised by members were of great importance, they asked for documentary evidences in support of each problem before taking these up with various authorities for a concrete solution.
Earlier, the General Secretary of KSSIA Ghulam Mohiuddin conducted the business of AGM according to its agenda. Finance Secretary Ghulam Mohammad presented the financial statement for approval.
Secretary Syed Haamid Chashoo, Syed Omar Nazim, Daanish Manzoor Mattu, Latief Ahmad assisted in conducing the meeting. The meeting also approved constitution of an Election Committee for conducting fresh elections of the association under the chairmanship of Altaf Malik with Javaid Wani, Javid Zaffar, Shabir Ahmad and M.Yasin Khan as other members.
Prominent industrialists Afaq Qadiri, Abdul Majid Mirza, Ovees Jami, Tariq Misgar Masood Wani, Javaid Zaffar and others spoke on the occasion.
