Trade, industries and commerce are burning topics for debate and discussion among the people. We know that trade has assumed highest significance in contemporary world and it is considered the key to removal of many debilities with which a developing country like ours is afflicted. But we need fast track activity in the areas of trade, commerce and industries. Unfortunately, our State is far behind other States of the Union in these areas. The Chief Minister seems to be seized of the matter that the State needs a well considered Trade Policy that would become the sheet anchor of our economic development. In pursuit of this idea, a committee of experts was constituted in this regard. In the 24th Industrial Advisory Committee meeting held on October 24, 2013, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had fixed three months time frame for formulation of Trade Policy for the State. In fact, the State does not have any trade policy so far and much of it has been left to the Chambers of Commerce at Srinagar and Jammu. Trade Policy means having a comprehensive view of various areas like issues relating to industrialization, job creation and generation of wide-ranging economic activities in the industries, handicrafts, and trade and commerce sectors. Unless a State has a clear cut policy on these matters, it cannot make substantial progress. Serious and in-depth consideration of all aspects related to these matters helps in formulating procedure, rules, regulations and culture for universal application when the matter of conducting trade come up.
It is a sad commentary that the Government has not been able to keep the time schedule and come out with specific as well as comprehensive report on what should be the parameters of Trade Policy for the State. In the first place, there is the need of close cooperation among the stakeholders like various Government departments, chambers of commerce and representatives from the business community. There is also the need of interacting with such business houses and corporate houses as would be willing to invest in the State in different ventures. Absence of this coordination has been the main reason for the committee not being able to make any headway till date. The departments concerned have not submitted their reports on the basis of which a comprehensive policy could be framed. One cannot say whether it is non-serious attitude of departments concerned or their inefficiency or sabotage that does not allow Government policy to move forward. The Chief Minister, who chaired the 24th Industrial Advisory Committee meeting, must have been a sad person when informed that his directions of preparing the comprehensive report within three months have not been honoured and that the committee will demand extension of deadline. Forced by the exigency of situation he issued explicit directions to the committee for accomplishing the task within a period of three months positively by January 24, 2014. This has not materialized. Inordinate slackness on the part of the members of the committee is inexcusable. And if the departments concerned are not responding within the stipulated time, some sort of action has to be taken against the defaulters.
People within or outside the Government have to understand that now-a-days, countries want to build their economic strength as it is considered one of the basic tasks that we shall have to do in regard to vast rural segment of the State in all the three regions.
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