Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Jammu urged Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary to J&K Government, Department of Agriculture Production and Farmer’s Welfare, Animal and Sheep Husbandry and Horticulture Department to extend the lease deeds of shopkeepers at Fruit Market, Narwal at Chamber House on here today.
President CCI Arun Gupta along with Chamber team held extensive discussion on various issues confronting trader community of Jammu region. Gupta apprised the Principal Secretary that nearly 40 years ago in the year 1980-81, the Sabzi Mandi at Parade and Fruit Market at Jewel were shifted to Narwal.
“The traders were allotted land there on lease hold rights to carry on their business. The land was developed with the help of concerned traders by JDA and later by the Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department. The traders constructed their shops/offices on the allotted land for which they had taken loans and obtained bank limits to carry on their business against lease hold properties. Now the lease period of most of shops has expired in the year 2021 and the lease period of remaining shops is expiring by the end of March 2022. The banks are refusing to extend their bank limits etc and the insurance companies are not providing insurance facilities to these traders in absence of extension in the lease periods”, Gupta said.
JCCI president maintained that up to year 2015 the department had provided the facility of transferring the leasehold rights but after 2015 the process was stopped due to reasons best known to concerned helmsmen. He said that due to financial crises, division of families, old age, illness or loss in the business, the original allottees have executed “Power of Attorney” to carry on their businesses.
“At present almost 50 per cent shop sites are occupied by the attorney holders. The banks/financial institutions are not providing financial help to these traders due to non-transfer of shops etc. in their favour”, he said and appealed to the Principal Secretary to give due attention to this genuine issue. He also appealed to Naveen Choudhary to stop the export of raw paddy which is going outside from Jammu and Kashmir to ensure sustenance of the existing rice units.
After giving a patient hearing, the Principal Secretary assured that all the demands put forth by the Jammu Chamber shall be considered and necessary action shall be taken as per norms .
Vishesh Mahajan, Director Horticulture Planning & Marketing also accompanied the Principal Secretary.
JCCI members , Anil Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, Sham Langer, Om Shah , Suresh Gupta, Surinder Singh Kala, Deepak Gupta and others were also present.
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