Around four lakh people in J&K are earning their livelihood from industrial sector: FOIJ

New Delhi, Feb 11 (KNN) Around four lakh people in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) are earning their livelihood from industrial sector, which is equal to the state government employment, said Lalit Kumar Mahajan, Chairman of Federation of Industries Jammu (FoIJ).

Mahajan said that the industrial sector of J&K is surviving only due to toll-tax exemption granted by the government since last so many years keeping in mind to meet the stiff-competition given by industrial units from outside the state in respect of goods being manufactured by State units.

At a meeting of FOIJ members, Mahajan stated, “It has been brought to our notice that the government is in the process of constituting a committee to resolve toll tax, for which we request the Governor, Satya Pal Malik to include Federation of Industries Jammu as one of the members in the said committee.”

Besides, it was also resolved during the meeting that FOIJ is an amalgamation of industrial associations of Jammu Province which includes Bari Brahmna, Gangyal, Digiana, Birpur, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur, working as a major stakeholder for development of industrial sector in the State.

It was further resolved that the Jammu Chamber of Commerce is being represented by Trade Associations without any representation of Industrial Associations of Jammu province.