Entrepreneurs at a workshop here today said it was very difficult for the entrepreneurs and investors to do business in Kashmir.
In the backdrop of a World Bank report on ease of doing business rating Jammu and Kashmir among the ‘worst states for business’, The Silk Route Consulting Group today organized a workshop to discuss business scenario in the state.
The participants at the program comprising entrepreneurs, media personnel, politicians and analysts shared their views on the current business scenario in the state and suggested measures the state government should take to make doing business easy in Kashmir.
The expressed dismay over the grim scenario of business in Kashmir.
CEO Agrino Foods, EmranMurtaza spoke about the hassles associated with getting land in the industrial estates.
The ex banker with an MBA degree, Miurtaza expressed his disappointment regarding the working of excise and taxation department.
“They (the authorities) eat up your time which is the best resource that an entrepreneur has” Murtaza said.
Owais Nanda, co-director of a Valley based pharma companyTruVet said there is no smooth way of availing credit facilities in the valley.
He said the situation of starting Business in Kashmir is grim and the systems in place are working more in discouraging a business idea than facilitating it.
Mir ShariqMushtaq-Owner and CEO of Media Mail discussed his painful journey of more than two years of starting his business.
Ranging from bank finance to getting a rent deed, he shared in length the hassles through which an entrepreneur has to pass in order to start a business in Kashmir.
Entrepreneur Tabish Habib-CEO of Prism Creations blamed the “deep rooted corruption” as one of the biggest impediments for the new businesses.
CEO of the famous valley based e-commerce venture Kashmir Box- MuheetMehraj highlighted the best practices adopted by other states of India like Gujrat and Andhra Pradesh.
He also said that there is a need to provide infrastructure, electricity, internet connectivity and timely and low cost credit for businesses in Kashmir.
AsmaPandith-CEO Graphic Weave said that instead of waiting for the government, it’s better to help each other and create an enabling environment for businesses.
She said that information dispensation among potential entrepreneurs is the first step which needs to be encouraged.
Congress Party Media Panelist Salman AneezSoz expressed his concern regarding the poor environment for doing business in Kashmir.
He said the use of system driven clearances and timely access to credit will help in reducing the hassles associated with ease of doing business.
Stressing the need to automate processes, he said, “When a truck stops at Lakhanpur, it stops our economy. Why not to automate things and reduce corruption points across all levels.”
Gen Secretary Youth Wing PDP- Imran Khaki assured that the present government is committed to making Kashmir a very viable Business destiny and that he will take up the concerns raised by the entrepreneurs to the highest chair for speedy resolution.
Discussing the concept of working in a conflict zone Journalist RiyazMasroor presented the concluding remarks.
He talked in detail about the internal and external dimensions of war economy and the necessary tweaks which businesses need to do in order to survive and grow.
Apart from these, Senior Journalists NaseerGanai, ShujaUlHaq ,InamulHaq and a number of potential entrepreneurs were present in the workshop.
Getting a very positive response from all quarters the Silk Route Group said that they will be conducting more such workshops in future so that the issues faced by the business community of the valley reach to the highest quarter and get resolved.
