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FCIK hails LG Sinha for creating entrepreneur-friendly industrial ecosystem

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FCIK hails LG Sinha

BK News

Jammu, Feb 6: Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has hailed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for his vision of creating an entrepreneur-friendly industrial ecosystem in J&K.

“The financial package announced in September last year gave hope to the entrepreneurs of J&K to run their business. Even in today’s meeting assurances by LG and patient hearing during deliberations and presentation of demands over the present industrial scenario is praiseworthy,” President FCIK Shahid Kamli said in a statement after meeting LG Manoj Sinha in Rajbhawan, Jammu.

FCIK administrative council delegation led by President Kamli apprised the LG about the present scenario of the industry which is ailing since 2009 and immediate action by the government required to save the industry which is employing lakhs of skilled and unskilled in the valley. The delegation also sought immediate restoration of marketing support which has been put to a halt due to the imposition of the GEM portal and expressed satisfaction that  LG  assured the immediate remedial measures.

“We also discussed the release of due payments & delayed payments so that capital flow will help industries to run smoothly,” Kamli said.

He also said that a detailed discussion regarding industrial policy, agriculture, horticulture, poultry, and handicrafts sector was discussed and FCIK was very positive over the assurances of LG to revive these sectors.

The meeting, according to FCIK, also discussed the GST claims/remissions and returns under SRO 63/519/521 and ambiguity related to VAT returns pertaining to the pre-GST regime.

The delegation also sought the intervention of LG Sinha to address their issues with financial lending institutions.

FCIK apprised the LG that the unitholders who are “tired and unviable” may be given exit route by way of OTS and the unitholders who still want to sail through even after distressed times over the years may be restructured and given ample working capital to restart their business immediately as the working season has started after COVID19 and harsh winters slowdown.

While thanking LG Sinha for his financial package on September 25, 2020, which gave hope to the unitholders and recent industrial policy, the FCIK delegation sought compensation to the business community for the losses suffered after August 5, 2019 and extending provision of benefits of industrial policy to the existing unitholders.

Meanwhile, FCIK thanked Advisor to LG Baseer Khan for his role in creating a positive ecosystem for the industries in J&K and his support to the industrialists during his different capacities.

A delegation led by the FCIK president also called on Baseer Khan to express their gratitude for his support in addressing the concerns of unitholders.

The delegation had a follow-up meeting with Advisor Baseer Khan regarding the issues and demands as discussed earlier with LG where he was also present.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held with Commissioner Secretary Industries & Commerce Manoj Diwedi at the behest of LG at civil secretariat Jammu to discuss various issues including new industrial policy and the present health of the industrial sector in J&K.

The delegation also called on chairman PCB Chugh, MD SIDCO, and MD SICOP and highlighted the issues concerning the unitholders.

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Industry

Industrial Association Lassipora dismayed over ‘unprofessional behaviour’ of J&K Bank branch manager 

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Industrial Association Lassipora dismayed

Appeal LG, CEO J&K Bank for replacement 

Srinagar, Feb 1: Requesting Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and J&K Bank Managing Director and CEO to replace the branch manager of the bank at the estates, the Industrial Association of Lassipora (IAL) has expressed dismay over what it called the unprofessional attitude of the branch head at IGC Lassipora.

In a written statement issued to Business Kashmir, the IAL said the manager heading the J&K Bank branch in Lassipora is displaying “unethical behaviour and unprofessionalism” towards the industrialists located at the branch.

“The branch manager’s lack of knowledge and understanding of the MSME sector has resulted in several complaints from the industrial unit holders and has raised concerns among the industries that form the backbone of the local economy,” read the statement.

Lassipora is home to over 500 micro, small, and medium-scale industries, making it one of the largest industrial growth centres in Jammu and Kashmir.

Given the vital role that banking plays in the development of industries, it is essential that banks located in the vicinity of industrial areas have personnel trained in the handling of MSMEs, it said.

The Reserve Bank of India has emphasized the importance of MSMEs as a priority sector for commercial banks.

“Therefore, the Industrial Association of Lassipora respectfully requests the Honorable Lieutenant Governor and the Managing Director & CEO of Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited to replace the current branch manager with a professional who possesses the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively handle the MSME sector,” read the statement, adding, “Such a change would significantly contribute to the growth and development of the local industries in Lassipora.”

Highlighting the significance of the MSME sector in India, IAL called on the UT and J&K Bank authorities to take necessary measures to ensure that the operations of the J&K Bank branch in Lassipora are carried out in a fair, professional, and efficient manner.

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Finance

Desist from levying commitment charges: FCIK to J&K Bank

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FCIK to J&K Bank

Srinagar, Dec 18: Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has urged on J&K Bank authorities to withdraw their latest decision regarding levying of ‘Commitment Charges’ on the unutilised portion of the loans and credit lines provided to the enterprises.

While expressing its displeasure, the FCIK in a statement issued to Business Kashmir said that it was for the first time in the history of J&K Bank that borrowers were being made to pay for loans or the portion of loans which actually they didn’t lift or utilize. The bank would not so far levy such charges probably in acknowledgement of the un-conducive working atmosphere.

According to the guidelines issued by RBI, levying of commitment charges was not mandatory upon the financing banks but discretionary, and it was left to the wisdom of banks to charge or not to charge it, said the FCIK.

“If the plea of the bank was that they could have earned interest on the unutilised portion of the loan, had they lent it to other borrowers, the question could be asked about the gap between their credit flow and permissible limit of lending which continues to be huge despite some narrowing in the recent past,” reads the statement.

FCIK agreed that J&K Bank had been extending some small concessions including waiver of commitment charges to the borrowers of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, but that was only peanuts in reciprocity to the gesture that 88.2% of the total deposits of the bank comes from the kith and kin of these borrowers at an unprecedentedly low rate of just 3.67%  which was the lowest than available to any other national or commercial bank in the country.

While criticizing the decision, FCIK questioned the wisdom of the bank to perceive that the condition of entrepreneurs had changed for to better now to take additional brunt even after facing long spells of business interruptions from the 2014 floods to the aftermath of the Covid-19 situation. The bank should know that currently the product market appetite ran at its lowest ebb for the complexities caused by these situations besides the change in policies which obviously resulted in the lifting of lower amounts from sanctioned credit lines, reads the statement.

Hailing the prudent entrepreneurs for lifting only the required portion of the amount out of their sanctioned credit line in tune with market demand for their products, FCIK cautioned the bank not to force them to lift entire sanctioned loans for illegally siphoning it off towards any other non-bonafide activity. It was as such imperative upon the bank to withdraw the decision of levying commitment charges till the product market appetite stabilized.

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Industry

7 out of 10 industrial centres in Kashmir headless: FCIK

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FCIK to J&K Bank

Seeks LG’s intervention

Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Wednesday said seven out of district industrial centres in Kashmir are headless, proving a roadblock in industrial development.

According to a statement issued to the Business Kashmir, during the FCIK advisory committee meeting, members expressed regret that seven out of 10 District Industries Centres (DICs) in the valley had presently been rendered headless which include DICs of Baramulla, Anantnag, Budgam, Kupwara, Kulgam, Shopian and Bandipora.

The members questioned the bureaucracy that why should it ignore replacements in DICs during routine transfers of officers when it was aware that the role of DICs in promoting, facilitating and developing industry in the district was pivotal and critical. They said that assigning of the additional charge of DICs to officers already overburdened with their own jobs, generates more distrust and scepticism than giving any hope and solace to the entrepreneurs, the members said.

Quoting an example, the members informed that General Manager DIC Baramulla who also held two more charges of GM DIC Kupwara and Programme officer ICDS at the time of transfer in March 2022 was not replaced by any other officer. Instead, the additional charge was assigned to GM DIC Budgam in May  till 17th of November when he was also transferred rendering both the DICs of Baramulla and Budgam unmanned simultaneously. The members said that DICs of Kupwara and Bandipora were now forgotten for years.

Speaking on the occasion, President Shahid Kamili said that FCIK had time and again taken up the matter of appointment of GMs with relevant authorities but it was unfortunate that instead of filling the vacant positions, many more DICs were eventually rendered headless.

The FCIK in the meeting, according the statement, has called for a considerable degree of internal cohesiveness through well-meaning and accountable bureaucracy to accomplish and foster the ambitious industrialisation process launched by the government for UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The presidents of various industrial estates, while registering their problems, complained of the bureaucratic hick-ups and callousness in facilitating the prospective entrepreneurs to set up their industrial ventures besides timely resolution of issues confronting smooth operations of the existing industry,” read the statement.

“The presidents cautioned that in case the bureaucratic hurdles continued without any checks and accountability, the same can harm the ambitious plan and may also produce results in the opposite direction.”

They said that the industrialisation programme would require restructuring of the whole hierarchy in the industries department with a clear chain of command that decide about matters rapidly and also delegates powers to subordinate team members. A set of officers having clear understanding of industrial promotion and dynamism in the approach needs to be put in charge of various positions for a longer duration of not less than 2-3 years, observed the members.

The meeting resolved to approach and seek the intervention of the Lieutenant Governor for taking note of the “non-seriousness on the part of the concerned bureaucracy” and issue directions for the immediate transfer of capable officers to fill the vacancies in the above-mentioned DICs. It was also decided in the meeting that FCIK shall soon submit a detailed note on the desired hierarchy of officers in industries and related departments along with their functions for the consideration of the Lieutenant Governor.

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