Jammu, Aug 20: Member Parliament Rajya Sabha Ghulam Ali Khatana on Sunday visited the Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCI) and interacted with the senior members, office bearers and representatives of different market associations present there.
According to a statement, President CCI Arun Gupta welcomed Khatana and highlighted various issues pertaining to trade, industry and the general public of Jammu.
Gupta discussed with the MP that the “intervention in stopping the installation of smart meters immediately, toll tax being charged at Thandi Khoi by NHAI be kept in abeyance till the construction of expressway corridor and the damaged bridge at Tarnah Nallah (Chadwal) is made operational, GST-linked incentive be made available to the existing industries also for their survival and in the era of cut-throat competition, the mother industries like Rail Coach Factory and defence equipment manufacturing factory be established in Jammu in order to generate employment opportunities for the youth of the UT, freight subsidy be provided up to the national capital to save the existing industry, the issues relating to GST refund and interest subsidy, and the concessions being provided to the new industrial units to be extended to the existing industrial unit for their survival”.
Gupta also said that there are many industrialists who want to establish their units on the land which comes under the purview of Khad Land. “There is the need to redefine the ‘Kism’ of this type of land and also a policy should be formulated to allow the commercial and construction activities on those lands so that the dream of the Prime Minister of India that maximum investment should come in our UT is realised,” the statement said
The CCI president further apprised MP Khatana that the government has fixed the circle rates at an “exaggerated rate” while the actual prevalent rates are much low. “The work on beautification of Jammu City Lake and the bank of River Tawi needs to be expedited for promotion of tourism in the Jammu region,” he added.
Gupta also pointed out that at present, only one train is running between Jammu-Haridwar on a daily basis. Although a new train has been started, it is running twice a week and this should be operated regularly on a daily basis. “There is an urgent need to introduce a new super-fast train from Rajasthan, especially Jaipur, for the facilitation of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims,” he said.
MP Khatana said he has already talked to the PDD regarding excess billing and he hoped the necessary and favourable order shall be issued very soon. Regarding the toll plaza, the MP said he will take up the matter with the NHAI to resolve the issue at the earliest. He assured of taking other issues raised with the concerned higher authorities.
