Entrepreneurs’ suggestions sought for drafting Budget

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 10

To incorporate suggestions of two major stakeholders — entrepreneurs and people — Finance Minister Harpal Cheema interacted with traders and industrialists, belonging to the holy city and Tarn Taran, here on Tuesday.

He asked people to send their suggestions in writing at the portal punjab.gov.in or punjabdabudget@gmail.com issued by the Punjab Government. Besides, they can also submit their suggestions to the MLA of their constituency or Deputy Commissioner.

In addition, ministers were also undertaking tours across the state to seek suggestions of people so that a pro-people Budget could be prepared through first-hand contact.

Cheema said the government was of the view that development of the state was not possible without promoting industry and trade. So, CM Bhagwant Mann wanted to give impetus to industries to get the economy back on track.

Piara Lal Seth, president, Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM), said previous industrial policies failed in the past due to insufficient fund allocation. This was the reason that Invest Punjab did not elicit desired results.

“Plans for trade and industry did not deliver results as only Rs 289 crore were allocated out of the total budget of Rs 1.89 lakh crore,” he said. He demanded the share of trade and industry in the state budget to be raised to Rs 5,000 crore. Entrepreneurs raised an alarm over the possible adverse impact of Rs 28,300 crore budget allocation and freebies to industries in Jammu and Kashmir. They said relaxations like 50 per cent capital subsidy for setting up industries outside municipal limit, 30 per cent for establishing in the municipal limit, GST exemption for 10 years, 5 per cent interest subsidy, collateral free loans and others would wean away the industries from here to the mountainous state.

Contact here

• Residents can send their suggestions in writing at the portal punjab.gov.in or punjabdabudget@gmail.com issued by the Punjab Government.
• Besides, they can also submit their suggestions to the MLA of their constituency or Deputy Commissioner.

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