Srinagar March 19::   Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has said that there was nothing meaningful for the beleaguered Kashmir economy in the budget tabled for the UT in the parliament. 

FCIK, Secretary General, Ovees Qadir Jamie said that the Industrial Sector is anguish & unsatisfactory towards the Budget.

The central government Wednesday proposed Rs 1.08 lakh crore budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the 2021-22 fiscal.

“In the Budget there seems to be no financial allocation towards the Uplifting of the existing Industrial Sector, which the Industry were expecting and the stimulus was much needed. The Industry was expecting financial support for the closure for the businesses by the Lockdown imposed by the government from August 2019. The Industry was expecting the stimulus from the Budget, which unfortunately disappoints the Industrial Sector. The J&K Industrial Sector requires Special Package & allocation of Funds for the existing Industrial Sector for prospective Industry,” Jamie said.

The recent Budget presented by the Finance Minister for the year 2021-22 has no road map for the J&K Industrial sector, the statement said.

“On Papers, the government seems to be keen to develop the Industrial sector and inviting the Investors from various states to set up the units in J&K. But the existing Industrial Sector is on the verge of closure due the turbulent conditions from last few years particularly after August 2019. The existing Industry is turning towards sickness and the prospective entrepreneur’s is keeping distance from setting up new unis. The government is ignoring the existing Industry and their investments, rather they are inviting the Investors from other part of country to invest in J&K,” the statement added.

“An allocation of about Rs.648 crore has been made for the year 2021-22 for the Industries and Commerce Sector, but this includes the majority on the capital expenditure side and the existing industry have nothing in this to boost the demand or to provide any stimulus”.

This post was published on March 19, 2021