Holding the successive governments in Punjab responsible for the “huge slump in industry”, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday demanded special tax rebates and other special measures for packages at par with the neighbouring hill states to revive and survive the state’s industrial sector.
“The government in the saddle should come out of its cosy confines and help reviving the pace of industrial development by allowing special income tax rebate and other packages as allowed to certain hill states in the country,” said AAP MLA from Barnala Gurmit Singh Meet Hayer.
Hayer said that the government should address the issues and concerns of the industrialists and traders by allowing special tax rebates and pump in other measures essential for the revival and survival of the industry in the state. This would not only save industries from closures but also help generate employment opportunities for the youth, he said.
“The industry and employment are synonymous to each other. Due to deep slump in industry in the state, employment opportunities have dwindled over the years,” he said.
Accusing the Capt Amarinder Singh Government in the state of backtracking on the promises it made to the people of Punjab of generating 25 lakh jobs for the youth per year, he said that it had aggravated the problem.
Party’s state industry and trade wing chief Naina Mittal pointed that when SAD president Sukhbir Badal was Industries Minister in the then NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it had allowed certain special tax rebates and other packages to some hill states, including Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Uttrakhand. “Sukhbir did not speak on behalf of the people of Punjab, which reflected his anti-traders’ face,” she said.
Accusing the SAD MP and the Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Hayer said that it was a matter of grave concern that she failed to set up even a single unit in the state during her five-year term, thereby loosing track in terms of generating enough job opportunities in the state.