KCCI seeks Australia’s help for state’s economic development
A delegation of The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Inc) led by Mr. Gowher Maqbool the Sr. Vice President, KCC&I had an interactive meeting with the High Commissioner of Australia on his visit to Srinagar on the 9th of December 2015. Various important trade related issues, the issues related to the economic development of the state in which Australia can extend its technical/ financial and also the diplomatic support for the growth of Cross LOC trade between the two parts of the State, were discussed in detail.
The delegation informed the High Commissioner that the KCC&I being an apex business organization feel that as of now the tourism and Handicraft are the most important sectors of our economy and the pollution free industry is the next prospective area which needs a sustained investment and technological support to bring it on par with that of the developing economies of the World. Hydro Electric Power Generation is yet another sector full of potentialities identified to be capable of sustaining the State economy on stable footing. More so because the Jammu & Kashmir has potential of generating 20,000 MW of electric power from naturally bestowed abundant water resources, which can commercially prove as beneficial to the state economy as does the oil exploration to the Arabian countries.
Mention about the following identified areas of mutual interest and investment for long term business/ trade between Australia and Kashmir.
- POWER SECTOR:-
We wish that the Australia by providing us the necessary technological, financial support to tap all resources which will make Kashmir economically stable and self sustained.
We would welcome if the embassy of Australia is in a position to identify/introduce companies in hydroelectric power ventures from Australia to interact with our entrepreneurs through the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry so that Australian investment in this sector is promoted on healthy grounds for mutual business interest of Kashmir and Australia.
- INDUSTRIAL SECTOR:-
- a)Wool based industry and the related sheep and animal husbandry development.
- b)Food processing including agro-based industries.
- c)Processing of aromatic and medicinal plants and herbs.
- d)Pharmaceuticals including bulk drugs.
3. FACILITATION/ PROMOTION OF HANDICRAFT TRADE IN AUSTRALIA:-
- Help conducting Handicrafts Fairs and exhibitions in different States of Australia.
- Mining
- Mining of marble, bauxite, gypsum and sapphire.
- Promotion of Tourism
- Financial / technical support sought for development of Tourism infrastructure.
- Withdrawal of Travel Advisories.
- Environmental Solutions
- Technical consultancy and joint venture in the field of protection of environment which the Australia has taken as a major political challenge and is constantly developing technologies to face such a challenges.
- Seeking financial/technical support for preservation and revival of wet lands and water bodies in the valley, which got damaged during the floods in 2014. Technical advice on as to how best the restoration and preservation of Dal Lake and Wular Lake could be affected on fast track.
- Education
It is a universally admitted fact that Australia has the highest literacy rate in the World more because of its well knit education system which provides for a large number of universities and specialist institutions that provide approved courses at the highest level of education. We also understand that there is a system of vocational training, known as TAFE, in vogue in Australia and many trades under the system conduct apprenticeships for training new trades-people. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry would wish your Embassy extend help in arranging fellowships/sponsorship under Scholarship Schemes to get our qualified youth trained and taught in the specialized institutions/universities of Australia to help them attain the higher levels of education in different fields like engineering, medical science, veterinary science so on and so forth.
Faiz Ahmad Bakshi
Secretary General
