Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday assured “all possible” help to revive Kashmir economy which has been battered post-abrogation of Article 370 last year.
Shah along with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharmanheld a meeting with members of Kashmir Inc. which represented over 50 tradeassociations of Kashmir.
Sources informed that the Union Home Minister had invitedthe Kashmir Inc. representatives to the meeting to know their grievances.
Chief spokesperson Kashmir Inc, Sheikh Ashiq, told GreaterKashmir over phone,
“The Home Minister, the Finance Minister and MoS in PMOffice, Jitendra Singh, held a marathon meeting with representatives of KashmirInc.”
“During the meeting we presented our point of view viz-a-vizlosses incurred by Kashmir economy post August 5, 2019.
“The ministers gave us a patient hearing and afterlistening to our grievances,
the Home Minister assured of all possible help to reviveKashmir’s economy.
“Our meeting was apolitical, as we are representingtraders’ bodies. We discussed with the Home Minister the issues of all segmentsof Kashmir trade and informed him how our economy is badly suffering.
“They (the Ministers) stated they are aware of the problemsconfronting trade in J&K,” he said.
The meeting of Kashmir Inc with Union Ministers lasted forover one and a half hour from 5.30 to 7 pm.
“We stressed the dire need for hand-holding Kashmir’sbusiness community as we have been at the receiving end for over three-decades.To it the Home Minister told us that Modi-led government is committed to givefillip to Kashmir economy,” said Farhan Kitab, who was part of thedelegation.
“Home Minister’s response was positive; he assured ofdoing needful to help Kashmir economy,” he said.
The Kashmir Inc also gave detailed presentation of “Rs18,000 crore losses pegged by Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries”. Thechamber had compiled preliminary loss report for four months post August 5 whenthe centre stripped J&K of special status and bifurcated it into two unionterritories.
The Kashmir Inc has been reporting losses as the businesssentiment continues to be weak in the Valley.
Earlier this month, a delegation of Kashmir Inc had metMinister of State in Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, prior towhich, they had met Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu to seek their intervention inorder to revive fortunes of beleaguered Kashmir economy.