Industrial policy to be reviewed
The PDP-BJP coalition government has decided to review the industrial policy which was approved in March. It will revisit the policy for inclusion of some more areas that were not included earlier his year.
“We will review the industrial policy and it will go to the Cabinet” for the final approval, said Education Minister and state government spokesman Naeem Akhter here today.
He told media persons at the civil secretariat that there were many areas such as agriculture and horticulture which would be included in the new industrial policy. “We feel that there is a need to review the policy and many new areas can be included. The Industries Department has been asked to submit its report in the matter,” he said.
Akhter said the decision to review the industrial policy was taken as the PDP-BJP government had to listen to the concerns of the people and rule out any apprehensions about the inclusion of non-state subjects.
On whether the policy would allow non-state subjects to acquire land on lease for industrial purposes, Akhter said no harm would be done to the state’s special status. “That is what somebody has said. We do not want that perception to prevail that we are diluting the state’s special position, its special features, constitutional guarantees or legal position.“The government of the PDP and BJP is very firm and we have put it in our Agenda of Alliance that these are basic to our purpose of forming the alliance and the government. There will be no harm done to the special position of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He pointed out that the government was conscious of the “misconceptions” about the policy, which had been approved during Governor’s rule. He said there was no point in raising any alarm about the policy, approved for a period of 10 years in March.
On March 15, the industrial policy was approved at a meeting of the State Administrative Council.
