JOIN USSafeguard interests of industries, MCCI to CM ahead of budget
With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah scheduled to present the annual budget on March 13, the Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has placed many demands before the government.
In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, at his office in Bengaluru recently, MCCI chairman A S Satish has highlighted the necessity to take additional initiatives and create support mechanisms to overcome the present status quo or the down trend in business projections and perceptions, revival of the dormant MSME and trade sectors, employment generation and social justice.
Since an outdated regressive labour policy with penal provisions for the employer has outlived its purpose, smooth exit policies for both employer-employees with minimum interference by the government was the need of the hour, the memorandum said.
Abolishing or discontinuing trade licence, rationalisation of Food Safety and Standards Act regulations, and easing labour policies, would encourage development of trade and industry, MCCI has said.
Tourism, hospitality and travel sectors need a special push by the way of incentive policies for public private partnership (PPP) model investments.
Creation of Tourism Authority with Mysuru as its headquarters still remains on paper. The deadline for licence or registrations for food business under FSS Regulations 2011 has to be extended, besides focusing on awareness and infrastructure at APMCs.
Single window
Development of industrial estates or areas at affordable costs; district level single window mechanisms for various permits and clearances; clarity on dual collection policy of property tax on industries, industrial plots or sheds by the respective Zilla Panchayat or Corporation; transparency in fixing specific percentage on the value of industrial plot or shed while levying property tax; developing the industrial area or estate as per the approved CDP or master plan; formation of industrial township with provision for waste disposal, dumping and segregation, treatment, management and general facilities, form part of the demands placed.
The MCCI has also urged the government to direct the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to earmark sufficient land for solid waste management dumps across all the industrial estates and areas, aside from ensuring supportive policy to encourage milling in the State itself to revive and sustain the mills.
The other demands include revision of e-sugam exemption limit from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 and extension of the same to the movement of goods locally within well-defined area, inclusion of files and folders under stationery articles to overcome disparity of classification in VAT levy as comparable with other States, addressing the problems related to the online operation of m-sugam that is faced with network problems, inconveniencing the dealers, the memorandum states.
Infra for transportation
On the transport front, basic infrastructure like faster connectivity and additional linkages for railway, airport and port connectivity needs to be addressed for tier II cities like Mysuru on priority, MCCI has said in its representation to the chief minister.
The State government should release its adequate share to implement the Centre’s works and acquire lands for the early completion of Mysuru-Bengaluru track doubling works and extend the same up to Nanjangud.
Additional incentives to take up and complete rail connectivity from Mysuru to Kodagu, Sultan Bathery and Chamarajanagar-Mettupalyam under fast track, is essential towards the development of the region.
The MCCI has also sought six lane expressway road connectivity between Mysuru-Bengaluru–Nanjangud through bypass, flyovers or underpasses wherever necessary, and for improving the present status of roads connecting border states Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Regular direct air connectivity across important southern regional cities and also provision for concessional taxation to promote sustained flight operations, are among the other demands of the MCCI.