Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir has urged Union Territory administration to release Rs 200 crore to Kashmir-based MSME unit holders on account of supplies supplied by them.
President FCIK Muhammad Ashraf Mir said an amount of Rs 200 crore approximately is pending from various government departments, PSUs, etc which needs an immediate attention and redressal.
“Government has even failed to release payment amounting to Rs 33 crore on account of supplies made under scheme SAUBHAGYA to PDD where in an MOU between Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce, Comm. Secretary PDD, MD JKSICOP and representatives from MSMEs (FCIK) was signed on 11th September,2018 for supply of Steel Tubular Poles etc.”
“Subsequently the order was placed with JK SICOP after deliberations and a special discount on the rates was demanded and offered. These supplies amounting to Rs 250 crore approximately were to be supplied in a time bound manner and payment was assured within 10 days on consignment basis and laid down in the MOU,” he said.
“Irony is that even PDD bagged Rs 100 crore award from government of India for timely completion of the project within stipulated time, but they have failed to release our payments which is nothing but a shame,” he said adding that unit holders had high hopes that on eve of Eid payment will be released but their hopes were dashed due to callous approach of the authorities.
Chief Engineer Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited, Aijaz Dar said ” due to ongoing investigation by anti-corruption bureau, the payment of suppliers is pending.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner/Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, M K Dwivedi, sought immediate release of pending payments by the Government departments for supplies/material supplied by the local MSMEs and corporations of Industries & Commerce Department.
Dwivedi took serious view of slow pace of the concerned departments on this issue and asked the officers to come up with a final proposal on Wednesday (June 3, 2020) with the directions to clear the payments as early as possible.