Assocham welcomes special package for Uttarakhand

Welcoming the five-year extension to a special package of industrial incentives given to Uttarakhand by the Centre, industry body Assocham on Thursday said it will give a fillip to industrial promotion and job creation in the flood-ravaged state.

"It will give the much-needed thrust to industrial promotion and new job generation  in the flood-ravaged state of Uttarakhand. More so, as there is an urgent need for speedy and overall effective development of the state," said national secretary general of Assocham DS Rawat in a statement in Dehradun.

"Industries in major sectors of agro based, woolen, silk ~~amp;amp; artificial thread based clothes, ready-made garments ~~amp;amp; embroidery, wood and furniture, leather, repairing and services, handloom, handicraft, metals and others have suffered grave losses in the wake of the massive floods that hit the state last year," said Rawat.

The state government must engage the private sector and take investor-friendly initiatives to boost the investment scenario in Uttarakhand and spur job creation as the state had been jolted by massive job losses in the aftermath of the unprecedented floods, he said.

"With a hilly terrain, Uttarakhand is naturally disadvantaged owing to the dearth of industrial land and significant logistical problems like transportation, as such the state must be given due support by the central government for swift development considering the rising competition amid states to lure maximum investments from both public and private sources."

The state government in collaboration with the private sector must develop industrial areas equipped with requisite industrial infrastructure facilities like roads, drains and integrated power lines.  Besides, Industrially backward regions must be promoted through cluster development approach based on PPP model to spur investment and employment scenario, he said.

The state government should promote growth and development of small scale industries, cottage industries, handicrafts, floriculture and horticulture to spurt employment.  Considering the poor land availability in the state, Assocham has recommended that identified land should be allotted wisely according to the feasibility and other compliances of the project.