Centre urged to help revive trade in Kashmir

A joint trade delegation from Kashmir met Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu in Jammu on Thursday to ask for immediate intervention of the Central government to rescue trade and commerce in Kashmir. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) had recently released its report on the bad condition of the economy in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.

The trade body urged the Lt. Governor to lift the ban on internet services in Kashmir. They also said that unless internet is restored, there would be no economic progress for families connected with different trade organisations. They told Murmu that the trade fraternity of Kashmir has suffered on all fronts due to the internet blockade and could not even file GST returns, up-gradation of records, licences and permits etc. Similarly, the transport sector has suffered due to the clampdown of the authorities, by the shutdown and general strikes in Kashmir in the past six months. The transporters have demanded reduction in the one-time token tax on vehicles, freight transport subsidy for raw material, designated parking slots, rehabilitation of house boat owners, industry status to hotels and restaurant units, establishment of custom office facilities in Srinagar and minimum two direct flights per week for the pilgrims going to Umrah.

Tourism related trade bodies urged the LG for immediate intervention from the Centre to increase footfall of tourists as even in January, the snow-clad Gulmarg saw no tourists. They also appealed to the Centre to ask the airlines to streamline the air-fare charges for Kashmir as the tickets are too costly for people to visit the place.

Regarding the frequent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the traders asked the Lt. Governor that his administration should ensure that it is not closed for days together during the winter. They told him that despite assurances in the past, the alternate highway, known as Mughal Road, has not been granted the status of National Highway.

According to the official spokesperson, Lt. Governor assured the delegation that internet services would be restored in a phased manner soon. He told them that his administration was aware of the difficulties faced by the trade community as well as the general public due to the internet ban and is actively considering the modalities to restore the internet services in Kashmir.

The spokesperson also said that LG told the delegation that his administration has already assessed the losses suffered by the farmers due to heavy snowfall and untimely rains and will soon initiate the necessary measures in this regard to compensate them.