Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has threaten to launch agitation against what they called the “deliberate bureaucratic hurdles” being created in implementing several developmental projects in Jammu.
“The traders are worst sufferers in the state due tointentional and deliberate inaction by some ‘corrupt officers’ in theadministration vis-a-vis implementing the already sanction projects in Jammu,”JCCI president Rakesh Gupta alleged.
He said the chamber in this regard has sent a formalcommunication to the Governor.
“We served week’s ultimatum for conducting a high-levelmeeting, failing which the Chamber and the civil society shall be left with nooption but to launch agitation for justice,” he informed.
“Not only common people, the business community also hasbeen facing heavy losses because of the ban imposed on civil traffic on thehighway for last many days,” Gupta said.
He said JCCI did not react earlier in view the movement ofthe security forces in connection with the Lok Sabha elections. “But now, theelection is over and such restriction should be immediately lifted,” he said.
He claimed that the projects under Prime MinistersDevelopment Package for J&K have been totally neglected and DPRs have notbeen submitted resulting in laps of Rs 1600 crore.
“We would also question the intentions of the stateadministration regarding Zero Tourism Promotion Policy for Jammu, a glaringexample of which is non-participation of J&K Tourism Department in thebiggest travel event in India, The Great Indian Travel Bazaar, which was heldrecently,” he said.
“Industrial electricity tariff to the hotel industry wassanctioned after series of representation and meetings with the government. Butit has been withdrawn because of the non-working of the State ElectricityRegulatory Commission (SERC). The same may be looked into and needful done tosave the dying hotel industry,” he added.
The chamber president said report submitted by high-levelcommittees on waiving of the state tax at Lakhanpur is gathering dust and “thetax continues to be levied on almost on all products.”
He said that many tourism related projects of Jammu provincehave missed deadline after deadline and “we at the chamber and in the civilsociety feel that these projects may never see the light of the day.”
The major projects, which he claimed have been neglected,include Mubarak Mandi Development, Artificial Lake on River Tawi, SuchetgarhBorder Tourism, Bahu Gandola Project, Jamboo Zoo, Laser Musical light and soundsystem at Bagh-e-Bahu.