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Miffed Chandigarh industrialists offer to sell plots at collector rates
The Chandigarh-based industrialists said the UT administration and Union ministry of home affairs had failed to resolve their long-pending issues
Irked over the non-fulfilment of long-pending demands by the UT administration and Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), the Joint Forum of Chandigarh Industries on Friday said they were ready to sell their industrial plots to the administration at current collector rates.
They also offered to sell their converted plots 25% below collector rates, if the administration agrees to buy them.
In a press conference at Chandigarh Press Club, Sector 27, addressed by the president and chairperson of various industries associations under the banner of the Joint Forum of Chandigarh Industries, the industrialists said the UT administration and MHA had failed to resolve the long-pending issues, which had been directly or indirectly affecting their industries and businesses. However, the recent directions by the Supreme Court had provided a ray of hope to the city’s industrialists and businessmen, they said.
Naveen Manglani, former president of Chamber of Chandigarh Industries, said over the years, views of stakeholders concerned had either not been solicited for policy making or had been ignored in the final drafts. “The Supreme Court has taken cognizance and is monitoring the issues of industries such as leasehold to freehold conversion and MSMED activities. There are several other issues that also need immediate attention and resolution,” he said.
Arun Mahajan, president, Industries Association of Chandigarh, said Chandigarh lacked ease of doing business (EoDB). “However, when the UT was in its primary stage of development, the administration invited entrepreneurs and investors to be a part of its growth by investing and dwelling in the City Beautiful,” he added.
MPS Chawla, president, Chandigarh Industries Association, said Chandigarh was kept bereft of a basic industrial policy till 2015, when the first-ever industrial policy was released. “Even after seven years that policy hasn’t been fully implemented. Instead of reforms, new challenges and complications keep emerging due to different reasons,” he added.
Chander Verma, chairperson, Converted Plot Owners Association of Chandigarh, said current Prime Minister’s proven track record of success in industrial development and his initiatives such as EoDB and Make in India had given entrepreneurs a great hope of reaping its benefit. “However, Chandigarh, being a UT, directly controlled by the Union of ministry of home affairs, has still underperformed on all national level ratings such as Ease of Doing Business rankings of states based on the parameters of department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), EoDB under Innovation Ratings of NITI Aayog and SDG ratings of United Nations Development Program (UNDP),” said Verma.
