FCIK Urges For Liberation Of Agro-Wood Based Industry From ‘License Raj’

SRINAGAR: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) on Thursday urged for liberation of agro-wood based industry from “License Raj” in order to foster growth and development of this vital activity.

In a statement, the apex industrial chamber while terming the “License Raj” as an oppressive system to keep wood based enterprises of J&K in chains has demanded for its banishment in order to provide fresh gust of liberalized environment to the activity particularly to those industrial units that have had no impact on the nationalized forests.

FCIK has sought intervention of the Financial Commissioner, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Dheeraj Gupta in early removal of anomalies in the guidelines issued under SRO 321 of 2022 which contradicted with the guidelines issued by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) under S.O 3000 (E) at many places.

“Notwithstanding the fact that GOI was contemplating to further amend their guidelines in order to promote sustainable development of wood-based industries in the country to its potential on the persistent demand from business chambers across the country including FCIK, J&K forest officials wish to pursue archaic rules to whip the entrepreneurs,” an FCIK spokesperson said.

FCIK, he said, has constantly been receiving complaints of heavy intervention in the operation of wood based industrial units across Kashmir valley which was stifling this economic activity and hampering the smooth operations of concerned units.

While acknowledging the difficulties faced by wood-based industry, the President FCIK Shahid Kamili intimated to the concerned that FCIK was vigorously following the issue for a meaningful resolution and in this regard has held two formal meetings with Financial Commissioner and other top authorities of forest department in recent months.

“Whereas many decisions to remove anomalies in the guidelines and easing out the renewal of license mechanism were taken in a meeting of 21st October, 2023, the formal orders were still awaited despite the record note of minutes having been issued on 13th of November”, Kamili said..

He said that the matter was again taken up with Financial Commissioner with a fresh reminder and it was expected that formal orders would be issued at the earliest as per the verbal assurances given by him.

According to FCIK, the issues resolved in previous meetings but awaiting formal orders included removal of anomalies in exempted list of industries, approval of clusters of 5 or more units at par with industrial estates, introduction of auto renewal mechanism for licenses after self-attested declarations and making licenses transferable upon sale, succession or change of constitution of the unit.