Support for striking clerical staff

KT NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, Apr 23: A meeting of executive body of the Geology and Mining Employees Association Jammu held today under the chairmanship of M.K.Pandita.

The agenda of the meeting was ongoing strike of clerical staff.

The Association unanimously extended support to the striking clerical staff who are on pen down strike for the last 28 days.

The association appealed the government to concede genuine demands of the striking clerical staff.

Among others who attended the meeting were JK Bhat, Rajesh Mehta, Mohd.

Sharma, Pawan Kumar and Sudershan Chowdry.

Dilution of industrial benefits for J&K CCI demands withdrawal of notification, seeks PM's intervention KT NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, Apr 23: Alleging that dilution of industrial package for Jammu and Kashmir after the lapse of five and half years casting aspersions on the credibility of the Central Government, Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCI) has sought Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's intervention for withdrawing the said notification during his visit to Jammu.

"Keeping in view the withdrawal of benefits being provided by the central government in 2002 for the economic development of Jammu and Kashmir, none of units established in the state shall be able to compete with units outside the state," maintained Ram Sahai while talking to reporters here this afternoon.

He maintained that the said notification has jeopardized the entire process of industrial development, further investment and employment generation in the state, adding that the central government's order has practically snatched the benefits of central excise which would lead to the closure of industrial units here.

"Many of the local industrialists have established their new industry and many of old units have gone into substantial expansion to avail the benefits of previous notification wherein central excise duty was refundable.

The decision will cripple the economy of the state and lead to blocking of huge investment, loss of investor confidence leading to deterioration of socio-economic condition," maintained Sahai.

He alleged that the package of the incentives which was granted for 10 years and has been changed after the lapse of five and half years only casting aspersions on the credibility of the Central Government, adding that after the issuance of notification nearly 55 menthol industrial units out of total 57 got closed down while other industrial units are suffering a immeasurable loss.

"The total benefit Jammu and Kashmir was receiving by way of Excise refund is Rs 820 crore.

With many units being put under zero percent category like Menthol and other items of mass consumption and also some of the items on which the duty has been reduced from 16 percent to 8 percent like Pharma units, the total liability in future will come down to a maximum Rs 500 crores," he maintained.

He also termed the working of Central Excise Commissioner posted in Jammu and Kashmir as "arbitrary" and "dictatorial" and alleged that the Commissioner has issued 500 show cause notices to the units holders asking them why the amount of excise refund already made to them may not be recovered back.

"He has not spared even the units which has been established in the organized industrial estates like Bari Brahmana, Samba and Kathua," he alleged and demanded his removal from the said post.