Industrialists to stage dharna in Ludhiana

In protest against the Punjab government's demand of two months' electricity bills in advance as security, and imposition of entry tax, industrialists' organisations of the state will organise a demonstration in Ludhiana on December 31.

"We have already issued an ultimatum to the state government for withdrawal of entry tax and its decision to demand advance electricity bills as security. It has been decided to observe state-level dharna in Ludhiana on December 31", Gursharan Singh, president of the Federation of Jalandhar Industrial & Traders Association said after a meeting of several industrial associations of the state here today.

The industry was going through very tough times due to the wrong policies of the state government and recent "arbitrary" decisions, including of demanding two months electricity bills in advance as security and imposing entry tax have multiplied the existing difficulties, Singh said.

The industrial associations had decided that no industrialist of the state would deposit advance electricity bills, he said.

He said that trade and industry in the state was already near to closure due to wrong policies of the state government and was not in a position to bear any more burden for facilitating freebies, including free power supply, to the agriculture sector.

Industrialists said the entry tax had increased the prices of raw materials coming from other states by five per cent causing more difficulty to industry.

Moreover, if state government says that the entry tax is adjustable, then why there is any need to introduce the same? they quipped.

Already the VAT refunds were pending from eight to nine months, due to which direct capital of business was invested in the government treasury, industrialists said. They added that in spite of providing them financial help or incentives, the state government was making things difficult for industry.

Industrialists said earlier Punjab had a share of 6.7 per cent in total export from the country, but last year it declined to 2.3 per cent. This year it would decline further, they added.

Even the industrial growth of the state had declined to 4.8 per cent, they said.