Industrialists demand opening of power sector, spl benefits

Phagwara, Apr 1 (UNI) The growth of industries in Punjab had dropped by at least 50 per cent due to power crisis and lack of proper beneficial policies of the government, industry leaders here said today urging the State government to make power freely tradeable to salvage the situation.

Speaking at a seminar inaugurated by Punjab Technical Education and Industrial Training Minister Chaudhary Swarana Ram, several prominent participants demanded that the private sector be allowed to instal mini power plants to meet the power crisis and to save the sick industries in Punjab.

The industrialists and exporters, expressing deep concern that several big industries were migrating to Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand, made the demand for opening up of the power sector and extending special incentives for investors at a seminar on World Trade Organisation and Intellectual Property Rights organised by Small Industries Service Institute and Punjab Chamber of Small Exporters and Federation of Jalandhar Industrial and Traders Associations here.

Agreeing to the problems of the industrialists both Mr Swarana Ram and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Punjab Sarwan Singh Phillaur, who was the Guest of Honour, assured the industrialists that state government was working on a high level plan to provide uninterrupted power in the state.

They said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had announced that Government will set up three different Boards for the welfare of industrialists, traders and exporters and these boards would be headed by the industrialists, traders and exporters who will have a status of cabinet minister.

Those who addressed the meeting included R L Kohli, President Social Vigilance Society, S C Ralhan Regional Chairman Engineering Export Promotion Council, V P Chopra President Federation of Punjab Small Industries, Laghu Udyog Bharti Jalandhar President Ashwini Kapoor, Gurcharan Singh president Punjab Hardware Manfacturing Association, Harish Khullar president United Canvassers Organisation, Jalandhar and Ashwini Kohli Senior Vice-President, Punjab Chamber of Small Exporters (PCSE).

Later, Mr Kohli submitted a detailed memorandum to the minister demanding setting up a New Focal Point and simplification of Industrial Policy and Tax Reliefs and subsidies on the pattern of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand to enable the industries to compete in international market in the era of golbalisation.

UNI