Biz community seeks better environment for investment

The touring 15th Finance Commission got a plenty of task as far as expectations from the business fraternity of Jharkhand is concerned. The team headed by NK Singh met with office bearers of the Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) and Junior Camber on the last day of the trip on Friday.

Officials present in the meeting informed that most of the concerns of the business community were confined to building better environment for not only sustaining the existing ones but also bring in more units, especially small and medium.

“Small scale industries are basic for income generation as well as job creation. For that we need tax related reforms and ease and seamless traffic of goods and services. We have sought lesser tax regime and no-tax regime for basic goods coming from smaller and cottage industries. The segment is especially important for the State like Jharkhand,” said a FJCCI office bearer.

Besides, need for ring roads in almost all the cities wherein the major wholesale market including logistics hubs can be developed was underlined. “MSME plays a vital role in providing employment to the people.

For this we need to develop many small industrial areas across the state the size of which may range from minimum 25 acres and above,” said FJCCI president Ranjeet Garodia.

Agriculture sector, market yards, garbage management, solid waste management etc also came for discussion. “The Finance Commission should recommend proper funding for the above issues.

Along with this there is a major concern which needs to be addressed is the accountability and transparency of the process who are supposed to handle these funds. We recommend the right from the stage of conceptualization of the project, drafting of the DPR, finalization of projects, start of the projects till the completion, strict monitoring system should be framed,” said the president.

Issues of wrong DPRs wherein nobody is made accountable, building strict policy to ensure that the government does not enter into doing business other than promoting PPP model and scrapping functional departments were also raised.