Srinagar, Oct 8: A delegation of the Kashmir Traders & Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), led by its President Mohammad Yaseen Khan, called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the Civil Secretariat here and welcomed the recently passed Ease of Doing Business Bill, while stressing that its effective implementation would be crucial to delivering tangible relief to the business community.
The delegation comprised senior KTMF functionary Qazi Tauseef, Bashir Ahmad Rather, Sheikh Rashid and KTMF District President Baramulla Er. Tariq Mugloo.
During the meeting, the KTMF presented a range of issues confronting traders across Kashmir, including regulatory hurdles, power supply, traffic congestion, parking, rental and tenancy disputes, taxation and urban infrastructure.
Welcoming the Ease of Doing Business Bill, the federation described it as a significant step towards simplifying regulatory processes and reducing unnecessary procedural hurdles for businesses. It, however, emphasised that the success of the legislation would depend on its effective and uniform implementation by government departments and field offices.
“We welcome the Ease of Doing Business Bill, but implementation will be the real test. The business community needs to experience the change at the ground level. Traders should be able to obtain permissions, renewals, approvals and other services through a transparent, time-bound and hassle-free system,” Khan said.
The KTMF called for clear timelines, greater accountability, reduction of unnecessary inspections and permissions, digitisation of processes wherever possible and an effective grievance-redressal mechanism to ensure that genuine concerns of traders are resolved without prolonged procedural delays.
The delegation also highlighted power-related issues faced by the business community and stressed the need for reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply, particularly for commercial establishments, manufacturing units and other business activities.
Issues concerning Smart City works, traffic congestion and parking shortages in Srinagar were also raised. The federation pointed out that increasing traffic pressure and inadequate parking facilities in commercial areas, particularly Downtown Srinagar, were affecting customer movement as well as the functioning of businesses.
The KTMF further raised concerns regarding rental and tenancy-related difficulties faced by traders occupying properties belonging to various government departments and agencies, including the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Estates Department and Srinagar Development Authority (SDA).
The federation urged the government to examine such cases sympathetically and establish mechanisms for the timely resolution of long-pending disputes between traders and government agencies.
The KTMF also urged the Chief Minister to place business revival at the centre of the government’s economic priorities, stating that the trading community plays an important role in employment generation, revenue mobilisation and sustaining the local economy.
The delegation called for a coordinated approach among concerned departments to address issues related to power, traffic, parking, rentals, taxation, permissions, urban infrastructure and market development in a time-bound manner.
The KTMF expressed hope that the issues discussed during the meeting would receive due consideration and translate into concrete measures to improve the business environment, strengthen commercial infrastructure and support the revival of trade and commerce across Jammu and Kashmir.
