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Small-scale industry is backbone of state, will revive it: Captain
From providing free housing to the poor to reviving small scale and cottage industry and reducing the prices of essential food items, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amarinder Singh promised to look into every grievance expressed by the residents of Atam Nagar Constituency. But before that Captain Amarinder Singh had one request to make - “First bring me to power”.
From providing free housing to the poor to reviving small scale and cottage industry and reducing the prices of essential food items, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amarinder Singh promised to look into every grievance expressed by the residents of Atam Nagar Constituency. But before that Captain Amarinder Singh had one request to make - “First bring me to power”.
Small-scale industry owners raised their issues with Captain at the “Halke Vich Captain” interaction — in which more than 3,500 residents took part — in the city on Thursday. Those running small industries from residential premises feared that the Badal government’s decision to shift small-scale industries (green or red category) by 2018 will render them jobless.
“If we are ordered to move out of the city, we will be left with no other option but to shut down our industries,” said Parminder Mehta, a local. “Besides, electricity rates imposed on the industries are also very high.”
Responded to the problem, Captain said, “Small-scale industry in Ludhiana is the backbone of the state. If voted to power, I will not let the shifting happen in any situation.”
The response received a thunderous applause from a hoard of Congress supporters and industrialists at the venue.
Millar Ganj resident Lakhwinder Singh said, “The government is planning to shift the small industries, but no focal point has been allotted to the city. And industrialists are facing the problem of value-added tax (VAT) refunds that are pending with the excise department.”
To this, Amarinder said he will revive the industry scene in Punjab after coming to power.
“Ludhiana bicycle industry is being shifted to Jharkhand, textile to Madhya Pradesh and garment industry to Ahmadabad. The BJP-SAD regime has ignored the problems of industrialists. But, our government will formulate a new industrial policy to restore its lost glory,” said he said.
