Haryana urges Centre to protect plywood industry

Chandigarh, Sep 13 (UNI) The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has asked the State Government to constitute a committee to assess within three months, the availability of timber and the timber imported by the plywood industries in the State.

The Haryana Government has pleaded strongly before the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on behalf of the units closed after the Supreme Court order on October 31, 2002, Chief Secretary Prem Prashant told reporters here today.

In the meeting held yesterday, the State Government pointed out that for over four decades it had provided special thrust to promote and protect the agro-forestry.

He expressed hope that after the assessment of the actual position, substantial relief would be provided to the plywood industry. The CEC had also asked the state governmnet to assess the position on the basis of sale tax being paid by the plywood units. The Chief Secretary said that efforts were on to conduct logistic and scientific survey within two month so that immediate relief could be provided to these units and a committee had been constituted comprising the Secretaries of Excise and Taxation, Industries and Forests Departments for this purpose.

UNI JN KR DB1911