Investments reach Rs 31,000 cr, will cross Rs 51,000 cr by year-end
Govt to change rules shortly for setting up units on pvt land
One-time extn for industries which couldn’t operate due to COVID
JAMMU, Dec 1 : In a significant statement, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said today that only Parliament can restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, a demand being made by almost all political parties in J&K even the “unofficial allies” of the BJP while he reiterated his stand on the Assembly elections saying they will be held after completion of delimitation process.
He was speaking on sidelines of a function in Kolkata organized by Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organizations (JKTPO), Department of Industries & Commerce in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry in Kolkata.
“Only Parliament can restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir,” Sinha commented.
According to experts, since Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 under which erstwhile State of J&K was bifurcated into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh after abrogation of special status was passed by the Parliament, the Statehood can also be restored by the Parliament only.
“Both Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) have spoken on this issue in detail in the Parliament and to the country,” Sinha said, adding they have clearly stated that after the delimitation process concludes, Assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir and Statehood will be restored.
The Prime Minister and the Home Minister had in June 24 All Party Meeting on Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi stated that the Government will like the process for delimitation of Assembly constituencies to be expedited followed by conduct of Assembly elections and restoration of Statehood.
Sinha said Jindal Steel had some doubts which have been cleared and they will soon set up their unit in Pulwama.
A tweet by the Office of LG J&K said: “Manoj Sinha today interacted with Industry leaders at Kolkata and invited them to invest in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir”.
It further said that the Industrial Development Scheme outlay is being enhanced to meet the exceeded expectations of investment in Jammu and Kashmir.
‘The proposed investment has already reached Rs. 31,000 cr and is expected to cross Rs.51,000 cr by the end of the financial year. Given the response received, the government is enhancing the scheme outlay to meet the demand’, he said.
With the quantum jump witnessed in the proposals received for setting up business enterprises, the demand for land has correspondingly increased, and to meet the growing demand, Land Bank is being developed across the UT. The Lt Governor announced that the UT Government is coming up with the rules governing change of land use shortly to facilitate the setting up of business enterprises on private land.
‘This will ensure the seamless establishment of business enterprises on private lands. Business enterprises coming up on private land shall be entitled to all the incentives as per extant policy and procedure’, Sinha said.
Due to the second wave of COVID and subsequent lockdown, several new industrial units have not been able to come into production within the specified timelines. To redress the issue, the Government is mulling to give a one-time extension to such units, up to March 31, 2022 for coming into production, announced the Lt Governor.
Sinha said that J&K UT is on a mission to renovate, reinvent, and ready to take a quantum leap to become the fastest-growing region in the country, pushing the targets for economic growth and employment.
“Our aim is to deepen the trust with the business conglomerate, build the industrial base and strengthen the socio-economic stability,” he observed.
“Under the guidance of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, we worked out a blueprint to unlock investment flows and are in the process of developing a business culture, an industrial ecosystem in J&K that has been missing since Independence”, Sinha noted.
Elaborating on the efforts being made by the UT Government to encourage new investment, and to nurture the existing industries, the Lt Governor said that J&K is one of the best destinations in the country for setting up new businesses as of now with the best incentives and improving infrastructure facilities.
“We are fulfilling all the crucial requirements of the industries including transparent policy of land allotment, private industrial estate development, ensuring ease of doing business, besides the administration has actively worked with solutions approach and introduced around 160 new initiatives and reforms in a short period of time”, he observed.
Promotion of industrial units, providing capital Incentive, a liberal capital Interest subvention, GST Linked Incentive, Ease of Doing Business, development of sector-specific Industrial Estates and Parks, Single Window system, are some of the reforms brought in by the government to unleash the potential of the industrial sector, he added.
The Single Window Portal is being made live with 120 online services. For keeping in sync, the J&K Single Window Portal is being integrated with National Single Window System shortly. Further, J&K shall be the first UT to implement all the 301 business reform action points under Ease of Doing Business initiative of DPIIT by 31st December, 2021, informed the Lt Governor.
Highlighting the immense possibilities presented by Jammu & Kashmir, Sinha observed that the region offers abundant raw material for Agro & Food processing, manufacturing, land, labour, quick and competitive means of transportation. Besides, there is an ‘amazingly easy interface with the government’ through responsive governance & minimum government, in addition to being logistically the most attractive region with industrial land bank, sector-specific policy and international air cargo facility.
In addition, by December, 2022, the train will also reach Kashmir giving alternate all-weather connectivity to the valley, he added.
The Lt Governor further announced that the UT administration has a detailed “What you need” plan ready “because we know that everybody wants a return on their investment sooner than later.”
Sinha said Jammu & Kashmir is set out on a growth path with high hopes and expectations.
” This is the dawn of new era for the growth, development and overall well-being of the people of J&K. Barriers to commerce and trade have also been removed. The people of J&K can now fully have the rights and benefits enjoyed by all other citizens of India rather than just a limited set of rights and benefits, ” he added in a virtual reference to abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.
” A strong grass-root democracy has been set up with genuine participation of people at the lowest rungs of governance in Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies, ” the Lieutenant Governor said in a reference to establishment of three-tier Panchayati Raj System for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a follow up to the recently announced investment policies and Land allotment policy for J&K, Jammu & Kashmir Trade Promotion Organization (JKTPO) Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of J&K, in association with Confederation of Indian Industry had organized an Interaction with Industrialist/ Investors from Eastern India in Kolkata today.
Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce, invited industry members to visit J&K and see the changes on the ground themselves and take benefit of the best industrial policy in the country.
“The Union Territory of J&K is one of the best destinations in the country for setting up new businesses as of now with best incentives and improving infrastructure facilities,” he said.
“We are confident that such steps coupled with the Central Government’s and UT Administration’s efforts in J&K will soon create an environment for attracting industry to the UT,” said Subhasendu Chatterjee, Vice Chairman CII West Bengal State Council and Wholetime Director Haldia Petrochemicals while addressing the gathering.
During the interaction a detailed presentation was made by Ankita Kar, MD, JKTPO, which highlighted the focus sectors and initiatives taken by Government to improve industrial ecosystem in UT.
It was preceded by a video of J&K encapsulating different developments in J&K during last two years.
“J&K has seen great changes since Manoj Sinha took over and he has been instrumental in improving infrastructure, Healthcare, Industrial Investment Ecosystem”, Thakur said adding,” There is great improvement in connectivity, Power Infrastructure , Agriculture and Horticulture. ”
He said there is a greater synergy between the Industry and administration now.
The event was attended by over 40 delegates and some prominent industry groups present were Tata Steels, Haldia Petrochemicals, Anmol Feeds ,Eveready Industries, KCT Industries, Herbalife Industries ,Green Ply Industries ,Titagarh wagons and Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited among others.
