Kashmir

Proposal to set up joint working group of NC and JKCCI, executive committee to Omar

Srinagar: A delegation of the newly elected Executive Committee of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry led by its Sr. Vice President Nasir Hamid Khan met Omar Abdullah, Working President, J&K National Conference at Srinagar on the 26th of September, 2017 for an introductory interaction.

The suggestions submitted in the delegation have been attached verbatim:

“Respected Sir, We introduce ourselves as the newly elected members of the Executive Committee of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industries who have been declared elected in the 83rd Annual General Meeting on the 14th of September, 2017. The list of 6 Office-Bearers, 19 Executive Committee Members and 11 Past Presidents who remain ex-official Executive Committee members is appended hereto for your kind perusal.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an organization with a history of more than eighty years of watching over and protecting the general commercial interests of Kashmir and of the persons engaged in Trade, Commerce and Industry in the State. We see this organization as a bridge between the business community and the government. When we take a closer look at the history of the Chamber, much of it’s richness is derived from it’s deep association with Late Jenab Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Sahib and the affection and respect accorded to our predecessors in the Kashmir Chamber by him.

We are told that Late Sheikh Sahib would make it a point to seek the opinion of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry on important policy matters and also made it a point to address the General Body Meetings of the Kashmir Chamber. The association was such that Late Sheikh Sahib even delegated the drafting of the Tourist Trade Act and other policy matters regarding Trade, Commerce and Industry to our organization which the government would duly endorse.

As you would be aware, despite being exposed to multiple phases of turbulence since it’s coming into being, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry is presently facing it’s biggest challenge in protecting the commercial interests on an incapacitated business community. The devastation caused by the September Floods of 2014, the subsequent economic slowdown and the uncertain situation since then has pushed the Trade, Commerce and Industry of the State against the wall.

As Leader of Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly, we look forward to your guidance, support and specific interventions on issues relating to Trade, Commerce and Industry and assure you of our unconditional cooperation in this regard. One of the primary objectives of the establishment of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry was “ to urge or oppose legislative and other measures and to procure change of law and practice affecting Trade, Commerce and Manufacture in the State”. In this regard, we would seek to benefit from your strength as leader of the largest opposition party with 15 members in the Legislative Assembly.

Taking a break from submitting detailed memorandums, we would propose the setting up of a Joint Working Group between the J&K National Conference and the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry to coordinate on issues of concern to the Trade, Commerce and Industry of the State. The wisdom and experience of senior members of your party on economic issues would benefit our organization immensely. Keeping in view the large number of issues at hand, regular interaction is the need of the hour to effectively redress and resolve issues. Amongst other things, we are concerned at the losses to our economy being caused by the lack of accountability in the Public Sector Undertakings. A conservative estimate shows the current liabilities of these PSU’s to be upwards of Rs.10,000 Crores. In addition, the locking up of resources in the shape of infrastructure, land, manpower and potential has a consolidated negative impact – primary and consequential – running into lakhs of crores.

Other important sectors like Handicrafts, Tourism, Power, Manufacturing, Horticulture and Agriculture, LOC Trade suffer due to the lack of a clear and proactive policy. Thousands of crores go down the drain, especially in the Power Sector, due to the absence of a Tender and Procurement Policy. A coordinated effort in this direction would go a long way in pulling our economy out of it’s present state.The construction of the Chamber House at Rajbagh Srinagar tops the priority list of the newly elected body. We would be coming back to you with specific proposals of support required in this regard. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry is in the process of finalizing it’s suggestions and objections to the proposed Srinagar Master Plan 2015-35 and we would be looking forward to your support for appropriate incorporation of our viewpoint.

When we look at the history of the Chamber, much of it’s richness is derived from it’s deep association with Jenab Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and the affection and respect given to our predecessors in the Kashmir Chamber by him. We are told that Late Sheikh Sahib would make it a point to consult and seek the opinion of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry on important policy matters and also made it a point to address the General Body Meetings of the Kashmir Chamber.”

Click to comment
To Top