Srinagar, Sep 15: A delegation of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Monday raised a series of pressing issues before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce, urging urgent interventions to revive Jammu and Kashmir’s struggling trade, industry, and export sectors.

The delegation, led by Senior Vice President Ashiq Hussain Shangloo and Joint Secretary General Umer Nazir Tibetbaqal, met the Committee headed by Chairperson Dola Sen at Srinagar. The meeting was attended by several Members of Parliament, including Renuka Chowdhury, Yusuf Pathan, Prasun Banerjee and others.

KCCI submitted a detailed memorandum flagging bureaucratic delays that continue to frustrate entrepreneurs despite the Centre’s push for Ease of Doing Business. The Chamber said multiple clearances and recurring NoC requirements have left hoteliers and industrialists stuck in an endless loop of paperwork, calling for a genuine single-window clearance system “in both letter and spirit.”

On the industrial front, the Chamber pointed out that for the first time in decades, J&K is without an operational incentive scheme. The earlier ₹28,400 crore New Central Sector Scheme was exhausted last year, while the UT administration has sought an additional ₹75,000 crore. KCCI demanded that at least 25 percent of allocations in any new package be reserved for local entrepreneurs.

Highlighting infrastructure gaps, the delegation said the absence of warehousing and logistics hubs continues to inflict heavy losses on traders and fruit growers, who remain hostage to frequent closures of NH-44. They recommended a logistics park in Kashmir and more parcel trains, particularly during harvest and winter months.

The Chamber also flagged the sharp decline in handicraft exports—from ₹1,162 crore in 2023–24 to ₹733 crore in 2024–25—and proposed setting up warehousing facilities abroad, including Bharat Mart in Dubai, alongside an Inland Container Depot in Kashmir. It further sought reintroduction of the 3 percent interest subvention on export finance.

On the IT and electronics sector, KCCI underlined Kashmir’s untapped potential and urged the inclusion of Kashmiri startups in global trade fairs and official delegations. It also called for 500 modern looms for artisans this year and NABL accreditation for the new Pashmina fibre testing lab at SKUAST-K to reduce reliance on Dehradun facilities.

Regarding the proposed “Golden Pashmina Brand,” KCCI said certification must be restricted strictly to 100 percent handmade Pashmina, warning against dilution through fibre mixes.

Credit access also figured prominently, with KCCI urging the Reserve Bank of India to create relaxations for entrepreneurs penalised by low or erroneous CIBIL scores. They recommended a government-backed mechanism for reassessing such cases, noting that many businesses had been disrupted by conflict and natural calamities but remain viable today.

The delegation expressed hope that the Committee’s visit would translate into tangible policy measures. “J&K’s economic revival depends on targeted interventions in trade, industry, horticulture, handicrafts, and IT. The challenges are systemic, but the opportunities are immense,” the Chamber said.

Srinagar, Sep 15: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Monday told a visiting Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce that handicraft exports from Jammu and Kashmir have dropped sharply from Rs 1,162 crore in 2023–24 to Rs 733 crore in 2024–25, urging immediate policy interventions to revive the sector.

The delegation, led by KCCI Senior Vice President Ashiq Hussain Shangloo and Joint Secretary General Umer Nazir Tibetbaqal, met the Committee headed by its chairperson Dola Sen in Srinagar. Members of Parliament, including Renuka Chowdhury, Shri Awasthi Ramesh, Yusuf Pathan, Dr Shiv Pal Singh Patel, Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanavade, Santosh Panday, Prasun Banerjee, and Dr Prashant Yadaorao Padole were present.

KCCI submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting challenges in trade, industry, logistics, credit access, and exports. It called for warehousing facilities abroad, recognition of J&K under the Export Promotion Mission, an Inland Container Depot in Kashmir, and revival of the 3 per cent interest subvention on export finance to arrest the slide in handicraft trade.

The Chamber also flagged the absence of an industrial incentive scheme, delays in business approvals, lack of logistics parks, weak implementation of procurement policies, and hurdles in credit flow due to outdated CIBIL scores. It pushed for a genuine single-window clearance system, a relaxation framework for loans in J&K, and strict enforcement of preferential procurement for local units.

On textiles, KCCI asked for NABL accreditation of the Pashmina testing lab at SKUAST-K, distribution of 500 modern looms to artisans by 2025, and certification of only 100 per cent handmade fibre under the proposed Golden Pashmina Brand. It also sought global exposure for IT startups from the Valley to help them integrate into the digital economy.

KCCI said it was hopeful that the Parliamentary Committee would take its recommendations seriously to shape a stronger and more inclusive economic future for Jammu and Kashmir.