Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 5: A delegation of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) met with the Civil Aviation Minister, Jayant Sinha today and discussed various issues faced by the traders and people of the State in regard to services of airlines as well as services rendered by the Airport Authority of India.
A KCC&I spokesman said the KCC&I President, Javid Ahmad Tenga apprised the Minister about the injustice being meted out to local entrepreneurs in the case of allotment of food outlets and other shops at Srinagar International Airport.
He was apprised that the qualification for tendering as a concessioner was made deliberately difficult that no local entrepreneur could be able to participate in the absence of having a minimum annual turnover of rupees six crore and fifty lakh and the concessioner must have two international and one national brand.
The Minister issued on the spot instructions to the highest officials of the Airport Authority of India to settle this issue as soon as possible amicably with the stakeholders”, the spokesman claimed.
“In regard to international and chartered flights as well as international cargo the Minister assured appropriate action with the help of State Government to make it a reality,” he said.
He added that another issue of exorbitant airfare during tourist season which results in not only exorbitant rates to tourists but also effects the students and poor medical patients travelling to other parts of India for medical treatment was also discussed.
“The KCC&I suggestion of creating a composite funds by the JKTDC to book tickets in bulk before the tourist season was taken on board by the Minister and it was suggested that the State Government should be apprised and the Central Government will also provide the necessary support in making this fund possible,” he added.
Meanwhile, KCC&I expressed resentment against the Government order of transferring Zainakote industrial land to the Police Department for housing colony.
The President, KCC&I, Javid Ahmad Tenga in a statement said it is unfortunate that the State Government is contemplating to transfer industrial land, retrieved from HMT Watch Factory, Zainakote to the Police Department for housing colony.
“It may not be out of place to mention that the KCC&I had recommended chunk of land along with infrastructure created by erstwhile HMT for conversion into gem & jewellery park. This proposal is pending since 2007. Besides gem & jewellery park, we had also advocated for a gem & jewellery institute for which the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India had agreed that once the land is transferred to state, the proposal will be considered by the Government of India,” he said
“We support the Industrial Estate, Zainakote unit holders as well as FCIK in their demand of reversal of the State Government order and our organization will support any institution demanding of the recovery of the land for the purpose of industrialization,” Javid said.
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