Jammu, March 08: The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) President Arun Gupta Saturday welcomed the Jammu and Kashmir Budget, presented by Chief Minister and Finance Minister Omar Abdullah, praising its inclusive approach while urging the government to ensure clarity and transparency on industry incentives and power tariffs.
Gupta appreciated several key provisions, including–10 kg of free ration per person for AAY families, exemption of stamp duty for gift transactions within blood relations, enhanced financial assistance under the marriage assistance scheme for poor girls, development of high-performance training centres in all districts to promote sports, promotion of film production in J&K and establishment of 46 new industrial estates and construction of labour sarais.
While welcoming the decision to provide 200 units of free electricity to AAY families, he cautioned that this burden should not be shifted onto common consumers through increased tariffs. Gupta stressed that the survival of the existing industry depends on adequate incentives. He sought clarification on the Rs130 crore allocation for turnover incentives and subsidies, pointing out that past promises of incentives had not been fully honoured. He urged the government to specify how much of this fund will be allocated towards turnover incentives. Addressing concerns about the GEM (Government e-Marketplace) platform, Gupta acknowledged the government’s plan to introduce a new policy providing price preference to local MSME units in public procurement. He urged the Chief Minister to engage with industry stakeholders before finalising the policy to ensure a fair and competitive business environment. Gupta welcomed the Chief Minister’s commitment to boosting religious tourism in Jammu by encouraging Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims to visit other spiritual destinations in the region. He emphasised the urgent need to develop a dedicated religious tourism circuit, particularly for Lord Shiva devotees. Additionally, he appreciated the modernisation of Kala Kendra in Jammu and urged the government to upgrade Abhinav Theatre on Canal Road to modern standards to further promote arts and culture. Gupta appealed to the Chief Minister to ensure the prompt and transparent disbursement of proposed incentives and subsidies, avoiding bureaucratic delays that hinder industrial growth. He stressed that effective implementation of the budget proposals is crucial for economic progress in J&K.
