KCCI president meets LG to discuss crucial business issues

Srinagar, Jan 6: In a pivotal move to address pressing concerns of the business community, Javed Ahmad Tenga, the President of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, recently held a crucial meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Jammu.

The discussions focused on various issues affecting businesses in the region, necessitating the attention and intervention of the Lieutenant Governor.

A formal memorandum outlining key concerns was also submitted during the meeting, underscoring the urgency and significance of the matters at hand.

"The matter of renewal of Tourism Registration Licenses of Hotels, Guest Houses, Restaurants, and Houseboats was discussed. The prolonged delays, absence of a Single Window system, non-adherence to Ease of Doing Business norms, and multiple NOCs caused tremendous difficulties to tourism stakeholders which needed to be addressed on a priority basis."

According to the statement,  LG’s attention was invited to the deteriorating hospitality sector infrastructure due to the non-issue of permissions for repairs, renovation and reconstruction of hotels at Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Srinagar etc. "The properties needed to be upgraded to bring them in sync with the amenities and facilities required during modern times."

KCCI sought LG’s intervention in the implementation of Industrial Policies in letter and spirit and addressing other Industry issues.

KCCI president also took up the issue of tagging of schools during his meeting with LG Manoj Sinha.

"The Tagging of 125 J&K BOSE affiliated private Schools with Government Schools across Jammu & Kashmir would affect at least 2300 employees, and cause difficulties for thousands of students."

The KCCI proposed 1-year extension to these schools to comply with the required compliances with special consideration by the government on lease and related issues.

Standardisation of J&K BOSE books in consonance with NEP-2020 would affect 200 Private Publishers, 1000 representatives of publishers, 3200 Booksellers and more than 10000 families.

KCCI suggested that given a huge amount of capital, in which both the Bank and the traders were involved, a deferment of two years be considered to enable them to liquidate the same.

The KCCI President impressed upon the Lt. Governor the urgent need to announce an uncapped and longer period valid OTS Scheme by the Jammu & Kashmir Bank. It was brought to his notice that with a new OTS Scheme, both the Banks and borrowers would benefit- the Bank would recover its money whereas the borrower's accounts would get regularised. Such a gesture would send positive signals to the business community, the statement said.

The KCCI pleaded the announcement of amnesty to the Commercial Power Consumers on the analogy of the amnesty granted to the domestic consumers.

Senior Vice President Ashaq Hussain Shangloo and Treasurer Zubair  Mahajan were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, a KCCI team had a meeting with the Principal Secretary of Agriculture Production Shailendra Kumar and discussed the issue of withheld subsidies and other issues relating to his Department. He issued on-spot orders to the concerned officials to address the issues raised by the KCCI team.