Vadodara : On the initiative of Vadodara Chamber of Commerce and Industries (VCCI), a meeting was organized between representatives of industrial organizations of GIDCO in and around Vadodara and officials of GCCI (Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries) on Friday.
In the meeting, industrial organizations of Vadodara put forth their problems and appealed to convey these problems to the Chief Minister and the Industries Minister.
Representatives of industrial organizations raised various issues, including:
- The problem of electricity for the industries of Nandesari still persists. The project of laying underground power cable has been pending for the last five years.
- Power cuts are common three to four times a day not only in Nandesari but also in other industrial areas.
- Industries which are located within the Gram Panchayat limits often have to face harassment from the Gram Panchayat or the village Sarpanch. They file complaints with Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to harass the industries and also harass GPCB unfairly.
- Since the government has not imposed any restrictions on Gram Panchayats to collect taxes from industries, taxes are collected arbitrarily.
- Small businesses are also getting troubled by GST.
- There is an urgent need for new infrastructure for industries in Gujarat. New industries should get land and other facilities at reasonable prices.
Sameer Engineer, Senior Vice President, GCCI, said that it is true that small businesses and traders in Gujarat are facing problems related to State GST and Central GST.
"There are many other things as well. Contrary to the way industries are developing in Gujarat, the government also needs to accelerate the creation of infrastructure including new industrial areas. New industries should get land and other facilities at reasonable prices. Ease of doing business policy…there is a need to create an enabling environment for small businesses. We will convey to the government the offers made by the industrial organizations of Vadodar," said Engineer.
MLA from Manjalpur area of Vadodara was also present in this meeting. He said, do not expect the work in the government to be done just by writing papers. Industries need to keep submitting their questions. GCCI should hold a meeting with the Chief Minister along with the industrialists of Vadodara and raise the most serious and affecting issues.
VCCI Senior Vice President Himanshu Patel said that so that the problems of Vadodara industries reach GCCI regularly, arrangements will be made to organize online or offline meetings of representatives of industry associations and GCCI officials every month.
