Eying Assembly poll, industry raises pending issues

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, September 1

With the campaign for the elections to the six Assembly segments in the district set to hit its peak after announcement of the candidates, entrepreneurs and industrial associations have started raising the issues concerning the industry in the city here. The industry remains one of the least focused issues in the elections, it is being claimed.

Rajiv Chawla, president, IAMSME (Integrated Association of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), said as 70 per cent of the manufacturing units are functional from the non-conforming industrial zones, the matter would be taken up during the campaign by the parties. “Though the demand for setting up of a large unit to prop up the pace of growth of the sector generating employment in related areas has been pending for long, the successive elected representatives and the governments have failed to work for positive result so far,” said Ramneek Prabhakar, general secretary, Manufacturers Association Faridabad (MCF).

He said the industrial hub in the state had lost its sheen after the closing down and migration of a large number of major manufacturing units over the past two to three decades. These need support in the form of a large unit that should be established either by the state or the Union government for the promotion of the manufacturing activity.

He said the candidates need to assure their cooperation in meeting the demands in return for the support sought from the industry during the election campaign. The issues related to industry are as important as other issues raised normally during the elections, he added.

Suresh Chand Garg, president, Industrial Welfare Association, said the issues that needed to be taken up instantly include the implementation of the Estate Management Policy to pave the way for relief in plot transfer charges and cess calculation on industrial structures and allotment of all vacant plots in the IMT or other areas so as new units could be set up. He said the issue of pollution and upgrading of the infrastructure like roads, sewage, street lights and water supply would be raised with the candidates or the parties during the campaign.

Focus should be on world-class infrastructure and an attractive business model, so that there is a level-playing field with other leading hubs,” said Rajiv Mehra, an industrialist.

The five constituencies of Faridabad, Ballabgarh, Tigaon, NIT, Badkhal and Prithla have around 30,000 industrial units, it is claimed.