Jammu: Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chander Parkash Ganga Wednesday said that govt has taken up massive upgradation of industrial infrastructure in the State to promote industrial growth. He said to promote local arts and crafts handicraft units registered with Handicraft Department shall now be considered at par with the industrial units for the purpose of availing incentives under the existing industrial Policy of the State.

“Under the programme extensive infrastructure upgradation has been taken up after decades in various Industrial Estates across JK at a cost of Rs 138 crore,” the Minister said while winding up the discussion in the House on Demand for Grants of the Industries & Commerce and allied Departments.

He said the industrial estates besides having good roads are now getting power supply 24×7.

Ganga said the Department is also in the process of setting up Rural Industrial Estates across JK for which Rs 10 crore have been earmarked in the budget.

He said 13661 kanals of land at various places in the State is under different stages of transfer/acquisition to serve as land bank for industrial growth.

To promote women entrepreneurship, the Minister said that separate entrepreneurship hubs for women are being established at Srinagar and Jammu.

Regarding the initiatives in the industrial sector, the Minister said that the Department has started GIS mapping of all the industrial estates to capture, store, analyze and manage the data in respect of the Industrial Estates. “The information would be available on www.udyogjkgis.com,” he said and added that the portal will also provide information about location of Industrial Estates / Units, availability of land in different Industrial Estates, individual unit activity and present status and support for decision making process.

The Minister said that all the small industrial estates under Directorate of Industries & Commerce have been transferred to SICOP. He said Rs 40 crore DPR has been formulated for establishment of Common Facility Centre for Leather Cluster at Industrial Estate Lassipora.

The Minister said that the scheme for setting up Startup Hub, incubators and Scheme for Assistance to Startups in J&K has been approved by the Government aiming at encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting innovation among talented youth. “Under the scheme Rs 50 lacs assistance is available to incubators for capital expenditure against investment. The innovator shall be provided Rs 10000 per month for one year as assistance allowance,” he said.

He said to promote Ease of Doing Business, the Government has successfully implemented around 270 business reforms out of 372 point Business Reform Action Plan-2017 (BRAP) issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India. “With the result, JK’s ranking improved from 31st position in 2016 to 22nd position in December 2017,” he said and added that a New Industrial Policy was issued in 2016 to facilitate industrial growth in the State.

Regarding incentives being provided to the industry, the Minister said that the industry has been provided Rs 272.77 crores central incentives from 2004. “Out of this, Rs 127.19 crore has been sanctioned during 2016-18,” he said and added that Rs 130.21 crore have been provided to the entrepreneurs under the state incentives which include Rs 21.22 crore during the past 2 years.

Regarding post-GST scenario, the Minister said that Central Scheme for “Budgetary Support” has been notified. He said the State Government has also announced balance payment of 42% under “Budgetary Support Scheme”. “Additionally 100% SGST refund has been agreed to. The State Cabinet has also approved for compensating, with suitable mechanism, 2% CST available to industry in pre-GST regime,” he said.

He said the upgradation of various JKI units has been taken up under different funding schemes. This includes revival of Government Silk Factory, Rajbagh, Srinagar at a cost of Rs 23.54 crores under World Bank assistance, revival of Govt Woollen Mills Bemina      at a cost of Rs 11.74 crore under World Bank assistance, Government Silk Filatures, Bari Brahmana, Jammu at a cost of Rs 6.64 crores under TAMIER, Government Silk Filatures, Solina, Srinagar at a cost of Rs 5.66 crore under TAMIER, Government Silk Factory, Bari Brahmana, Jammuat a cost of Rs 16.84 crore under state funding, Government Joinery Mills, Bari Brahmana at a cost of Rs 8.50 crore and Government Woollen Spinning Plant Solina, Srinagar.  

He said proposals worth Rs 48.05 crore of Pashmina Promotion Programme under PMDP have been submitted to Central Wool Development Board for sanction and release of funds. The project, he said, envisages holistic development of the Pashmina Craft with specific interventions at all the stages of pre production, production and post production.

He said 44238 beneficiaries benefitted under Artisan Credit Card Scheme, which is aimed at helping the artisans of various handicraft products to become self reliant independent earning hands. He said the Government has provided Rs 93.36 crore till date as 10% interest subvention for the cases sanctioned under the Scheme.

As per the Minister, the scheme for Rehabilitation of Fur Artisans has been formulated and is under implementation. “The Margin Money and 5% equity of Rs 20.88 crore is being provided by the Government,” he said.

He said for J&K Handicraft (S&E) Corporation, the State Government has provided funds in Capex Budget and Grant-in-Aid of Rs 6.19 crore for direct purchase of trading goods.

He said to provide market, export exposure exhibition places and Business to Business interaction for Handloom and Handicraft Sector Stakeholder, Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organization (JKTPO) as a Joint Venture Company between the State Government, India trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) and Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has been approved. “The ban on funding of J&K Handicraft (S&E) Corporation for foreign exhibitions has been lifted by Government of India after strenuous efforts. After many years, the J&K Handicrafts (S&E) Corporation shall be participating in Handicraft Exhibition at Birmingham early next month,” he said.

He said the handicraft exports from Kashmir have gone upto Rs 1151.12 crore in financial year 2016-17 which is 8.6 percent hike as compared to the previous year. He said all outstanding bank loans of J&K Handloom Corporation and Handicrafts Corporation have been cleared by the Industries & Commerce Department.

He said 8 Block Level clusters of Handloom, under the revised guidelines of Government of India are under implementation including Lohai Malhar (Kathua), Tengpora (Srinagar), Batroo Ukaral (Ramban), Anchar (Srinagar), Safakadal (Srinagar), Elahibagh (Srinagar), Moungri (Udhampur) and Mahanpur (Kathua).

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