WE THE PEOPLE
Despite nationwide industrial upsurge, Industrial growth has remained quite tardy in Kashmir valley
Hence People urge Govt., to goad Industries Department to encourage local Unit-holders and revive Sick units
By: M. Shirjeel/MNS
Srinagar: Notwithstanding technological advancement at the global level, we in J&K State in general and valley of Kashmir in particular have neither attained self-sufficiency in food production nor made any mark in the industrial development so far. However, many small and medium-scale
Industries have come up both in the traditional and new areas in the
State. Though the number of SSIs in the State has gone up on paper, but there is a good chunk of sick units at the ground level. Besides there are several units reportedly dysfunctional, which is not a healthy sign.
The reasons for such a dismal scenario could be many, but mainly these are attributed to recovery of loans along with law-and-order problems in
the State. The industrial financing has come down drastically in the
State and also the financing organizations like SIDBI and IDBI reportedly stopped refinancing from 1992-93 to 1995-96, however, the SFC has marginally increased the disbursement of loans in 1998-99 and thus the number of industrial units grew to 42,808. J&K upto 2001.
Major industries in J&K are Minerals Industry, Gems and Jewellery
Industry, Floriculture Industry, Horticulture Industry, Electronic
Industry and Tourism Industry. Mineral deposits available in the State
are bauxite, limestone, sapphire, gypsum, coal and marble, most being
located in border areas and in difficult terrains. Roadways are the
only means of transportation since railways are not well developed in
the State. Therefore, it cannot compete with other states like
Rajasthan due to high transportation cost. An official in the
Department of Geology and Mining, wished not to be named said, “Our
State has a tremendous potential of mineral deposits worth millions of
rupees. The only need is to develop the better transportation
facilities along with good roads. Also there should be genuine help
from higher authorities in terms of providing better and modern
drilling equipments.”
However, according to some experts, the fragile ecology of the State
also inhibits the setting up of large industries based on minerals.
There are PSUs, working in this direction but most of them are running
Into losses with few exceptions which are earning revenue to meet
their day-to-day expenses and not making a profit which could generate
Employment, not to a bigger scale but at least to a smaller one. As a
result the mineral industry is also losing its share like other
Units and the State do not have any functional policy towards
Restructuring / Revival of the loss making PSUs.
Similarly there is a vast scope for Floriculture, Leather processing
and leather goods, Sports goods (especially cricket bats), and articles
and equipments for general physical exercise, Forest based industry,
Processing of aromatic and medicinal plants and herbs and
Pharmaceuticals including bulk drugs, which has huge international
market. The only need is to explore and motivate competent
Entrepreneurs in this direction. And those who are already in the
field should have to develop better marketing and branding practices.
With increasing competition in the market, manufacturers of quality
Consistent consumer products can sustain themselves only if they adopt
an intelligent marketing strategy and build a brand of their own. In
order to encourage efforts of such manufacturers who are desirous of
developing and propagating their own brands within and outside the
State, the government should develop strategies and extend assistance
to them.
Though industrial sickness is a wide spread phenomenon, its impact is
comparatively high in J&K. The initiative for rehabilitation of sick
units should primarily come from the concerned industrial unit,
Financial institutions and the commercial banks. Besides, there should
be some debt relief package too from the government.(To be continued)
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