Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 26: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has conveyed its dismay over continued exclusion of stakeholders from re-constituted Boards of Directors of Jammu and Kashmir Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (SICOP) and J&K State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (SIDCO).
The Boards of the two industrial related corporations were re-constituted on Tuesday under Government order No 109-(JK)IND of 2023 with 10 members each all of whom were drawn from government officials with no representatives from industrial stakeholders as it used to be a norm before 2019.
The FCIK expressed surprise that the orders were issued on the same day when the Chief Secretary in an earlier meeting had called for working in tandem by and regular interaction between industry and the government in order to address the grievances of industries in the UT.
The FCIK claimed that the apex organisation was on the board of all industrial related corporations and committees from their very inception which had yielded positive results in the working of these corporations towards development of industrial sector. While being part of these boards, FCIK would critically and objectively analyze the proposed schemes and programmes of these corporations to incorporate necessary amendments in order to make these industry-friendly.
“How is the subordinate staff of a senior officer expected to go against his views” asked FCIK adding that it paved way for approval of unilateral anti-industry decisions without any opposition from anywhere. FCIK has observed that most of the decisions taken in the boards without any outside stakeholders have worked in growing stress and debacle of the existing industry. One of the decisions taken was about collection of part premium with every change in the constitution of an industrial unit which only was aimed at filling the coffers of corporations ignoring the fact that these corporations were incepted basically for the growth and promotion of industry.
FCIK regretted that Industries and Commerce Department in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir had drastically changed its vision and strategic planning process with most of its efforts and time being utilized for allurement of prospective enterprises which in turn has resulted in ignorance of existing industry with thousands of crores of investment already made in the sector in shambles.
FCIK has urged the government for effective engagement which would help translate stakeholder needs into industrialization goals and would create the basis of strategy development of industry under the ambitious Central Sector Scheme of 2021.
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