SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) on Thursday held a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, at the Civil Secretariat. The meeting focused on various matters concerning economic development and the challenges faced by different sectors in the region.
Led by its President Javed Ahmad Tenga, the KCC&I delegation, comprising Senior Vice President Ashiq Shangloo and Secretary General Faiz Bakshi, presented a comprehensive memorandum to the Chief Secretary. The document highlighted key issues and proposed solutions across multiple sectors, including handicrafts, banking, industry, tourism, general trade, transport, horticulture/agriculture, education, and information technology.
Handicraft Sector: The delegation discussed several crucial matters related to the handicraft sector, such as the promotion of Pashmina, the establishment of a raw material bank, achieving a target of 4000 crores in handicrafts exports in the coming years, the expedited establishment of a Pashmina testing laboratory, carpets, the participation of KCCI in international fairs, Geographical Indication (GI) tagging, quality control measures, reduction in GST rates on handicrafts, the establishment of district handicraft clusters, changes in HSN codes for valuable shawls, and facilitation of artisans and weavers.
Banking Related Issues: The KCC&I raised concerns regarding the announcement of a one-time settlement scheme with an enhanced amount and an extended time period for loan restructuring. They also discussed the Qarz Mukt Scheme, aimed at alleviating the financial burden on borrowers.
Horticulture/Agriculture Sector: The delegation emphasized the need to extend incentives to the horticulture sector, ensuring it receives the same priority as agriculture. They also discussed issues related to the smooth movement of fruit-laden vehicles, crop insurance, and improvements in infrastructure and road connectivity.
Industry Sector: The declining trend in the industrial sector, losses suffered due to the withdrawal of status and incentives under the New Industrial Policy, and inconsistencies between the old and new industrial policies were among the pressing concerns highlighted during the meeting.
Tourism Sector: The KCC&I presented recommendations for the renewal of tourism registration licenses, improving the ease of doing business through a single window system, simplifying the process of obtaining no-objection certificates (NOCs), addressing challenges in homestay registration, resolving lease cases of hotels, focusing on the repair and maintenance of houseboats, constructing common sewage treatment plants (STPs), introducing direct flights for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, and upgrading the Srinagar International Airport.
General Trade: Issues discussed in the general trade sector included the claiming of Input Tax Credit beyond the cutoff date, recovery of tax demands when orders are not finalized, the constitution of the GST Tribunal for appeal cases, halting tax recovery until the tribunal’s formation, adjustments of SGST, CGST, and IGST paid under incorrect heads, allowing amendments to e-invoices for rectification, and providing amnesty under the Pre-GST VAT Act, 2005, and J&K GST Laws.
Transport Sector: Concerns raised in the transport sector included fitness fees and repeated checking of vehicles. The absence of public transport during late evening hours and the identification of bus stands were also discussed.
Education Sector: The delegation urged the Chief Secretary to review the Department of Education’s requirement of long-term leases from smaller private schools and proposed a one-time registration process to address this issue promptly.
IT Sector: The KCC&I highlighted short-term and long-term requirements in the IT sector, including partnerships with electronic companies for software park development, support for startups, and participation in international exhibitions.
For the restoration and maintenance of heritage sites in Shahri Khas, the KCC&I put forward recommendations which included the inclusion of Shahri Khas in the Srinagar Smart City plans, the formulation of an employment generation plan for local youth, face-lifting of the area, renovation of SDA shop lines, restoration of heritage sites like Budshah Tomb, installation of fire stations, addressing sewerage and waste management issues and developing a corridor connecting Jamia Masjid with Islamia High School.
Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, carefully reviewed the memorandum and responded positively to most of the points raised. He expressed his commitment to addressing the issues affecting various sectors and ensuring the economic development of Kashmir. The KCC&I appreciated the Chief Secretary’s receptiveness and collaborative approach towards resolving these challenges.
