GUWAHATI, June 17 - The North Eastern Small Scale Industries Association (NESSIA) has welcomed the new State government on its assumption of power and emphasised rapid growth of small and micro industries in Assam where the incidence of unemployment is alarming with over 25 lakh unemployed youths.
While meeting Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently, NESSIA State president Sailen Baruah and State secretary Kumud Chandra Medhi said that employment generation, industrialisation and 24x7 power supply were critical for facilitating all-round development of Assam.
NESSIA office-bearers stressed the need for engaging rural resources and youths in the development process.
�Rural and agro-based industries should be encouraged. Our rural youths should be given skilled development training on non-farming sectors like piggery, fishery, floriculture, medicine herb cultivation, traditional cluster-based tiny and micro units. Assam loses nearly Rs 10,000 crore yearly due to import of fish, egg, broiler, flower, pulses and other items,� Baruah said.
NESSIA also stressed that the single-window scheme ought to be implemented in its true spirit and thanked new Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary for passing the Bill in the very first session of the Assembly.
Moreover, it said, for allotment of land and sheds in industrial estates, 50 per cent should be reserved for local micro sector and 25 per cent for small sector units without any bidding process. It also demanded of the industry department to talk to banks for providing loan to local entrepreneurs because, as per RBI guidelines banks are supposed to give loans up to Rs 10 lakh without any security and mortgage.
NESSIA also urged the government to encourage use of LED bulbs and appliances for reducing energy consumption.
�Moreover, solar plants of small and medium sizes should be encouraged all over the State. The VAT rate on LED should be lowered to 5 per cent from 14.5 per cent as in other States to enhance its use by consumers to match 24x7 power supply,� it said.
NESSIA also demanded of the government to stop issuing statutory forms such as road permit, delivery note, C-forms, E-forms, etc., for purchasing materials from outside the State, and to add extra entry tax equivalent to VAT on all finished constructional goods like MS bars, cement, etc., imported to the State.
�This will not only enhance revenue collection by nearly Rs 250 crore yearly, but also help local manufacturing units to develop. NESSIA also urges the government to make operative an effective preferential purchase policy for the SMEs of the State,� it said.
