KL Report
SRINAGAR
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Monday talked tough on the functioning of single window system in industrial department and directed the concerned to bring various services related to clearance of industrial units under Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) to make delivery time bound and transparent.
Taking brief from various budding entrepreneurs about their experiences in launching entrepreneurship ventures, in a marathon interaction session he held with them at EDI Pampore, the Chief Minister constituted a Secretaries Committee headed by his Principal Secretary to suggest the mechanism of making Single Window Clearance System in industrial department a meaningful means to relieve entrepreneurs from all burdens. “Let this Committee look into all aspects of Single Window functioning and come up with a mechanism that would make Single Window clearance true to its name”, he said.
The Chief Minister also directed the Jammu and Kashmir Bank authorities to sensitize their Branch Managers about releasing of sanctioned loans up to Rs 10 lakh to the budding entrepreneurs without demanding any guarantee of two government employees or asking for mortgaging property as are clear directions of the RBI.
The Chief Minister also impressed upon Jammu and Kashmir Bank to ensure clearance of cases sponsored by Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) hassle-free, smooth and time bound so that young entrepreneurs launch their units without any wastage of time. He said Bank Managers should be made fully aware in this regard and in regard of the reported practice of compelling entrepreneurs to get MetLife Insurance besides asking them to reduce their working capital.
“I know the Chairman and his top level officers’ team at the Corporate Headquarters are giving their best to make Entrepreneurship Development Programme of the State government a success but as reported by the entrepreneurs in this interaction meet, the sensitization at the Branch Officers’ level is a must,” he said and asked the Chairman to chalk out a programme with the Director, EDI for holding Bank-Entrepreneurs Meet at the EDI Headquarters a regular feature where senior Bank Officers would listen to the grievances of entrepreneurs in presence of EDI Officers and resolve the individual issues as quickly as possible. “Such meetings should take place frequently”, he said asking EDI and J&K Bank to finalize a calendar in this regard.
The Chief Minister heard the success stories, grievances, suggestions and problems while hearing over two dozen entrepreneurs representing various services and manufacturers in a marathon interaction session patiently. He replied most of their queries and directed J&K Bank Chairman and the senior government officers who flanked him in the meeting to answer the questions put forth by the entrepreneurs.
Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Planning and Development, Ajay Sadhotra, Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Mushtaq Ahmad, Economic Advisor to the government, Jalil Ahmad Khan, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, BB Vyas, Commissioner Secretary Industries, Shantmanu, Commissioner Secretary Rural Development, Farooq Ahmad Pir, Commissioner Secretary Labour and Employment, Yadullah, Director, EDI, Mohammad Ismail Parrey and Director Industries, Mehraj Ahmad Kenu were present in the interaction session besides various senior officers from Industries and other department concerned.
This was the second such interaction session, the Chief Minister held with the budding entrepreneurs to get first hand appraisal of the status of success of seed capital scheme and other initiatives put in place in the State under SKEWPY for entrepreneurship development and employment generation. A similar interaction session was held at Jammu some two months back.
The objective behind holding such interaction sessions with budding entrepreneurs and top brass State Administration and Jammu and Kashmir Bank functionaries by the Chief Minister is to keep him to regularly posted with latest status and progress of entrepreneurship development programme State Government has initiated for youth of the State to generate employment in private sector and help address unemployment crisis.
“I am keenly observing each and every aspect of this scheme personally to remove bottlenecks, if any, you come across in your way”, he told entrepreneurs adding that he is personally keen to see budding entrepreneurs growing into leading business persons and industrialists.
“I have full faith in you for laying the edifice of a well-defined and economically sound industrial base in the state”, he told them elaborating that it has been observed outside the State investors have only interest to get concessions and subsidies instead of being partners in the industrial development of the state. “They come with the announcement of the concessions and subsidies and leave when these end”, he said and assured his fullest support to the youth of the state in their quest for becoming successful entrepreneurs.
Chairman, J&K Bank, Mushtaq Ahmad reiterated the commitment of J&K Bank to the success of the entrepreneurship development programme being carried forward under the SKEWPY and said that the Bank has taken this programme as a mission and not a commercial goal. He said more than 1500 units have been financed by the Bank under this programme so far which are running successfully.
Earlier, the Director, EDI welcomed the Chief Minister and presented resume of the performance of the Institution. He mentioned the need for expansion of EDI Complex Srinagar while narrating the enhanced responsibilities entrusted on the Institution in the comprehensive entrepreneurship development programme implemented in the State by the government led by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
