‘Govt has failed to promote business in Kashmir’

Kashmir Economic Alliance today slammed PDP-led state government for “failing to initiate measures to promote business in Jammu and Kashmir.” Chairman KEA, Muhammad Yaseen Khan while talking to reporters here said: “The World Bank-prepared assessment report has vindicated our stand that it is extremely difficult for the businesspeople to do business in Kashmir,”

Pertinently, the World Bank in a recent assessment report—All India Assessment of Business Reforms— has ranked J&K at 29th place among 32 states assessed in the status of implementation of Reforms agenda. J&K’s position has brought it among ‘the worst states to do business with.’

“The government has failed to initiate measures to improve business scenario in Kashmir. Nothing has been done to provide with better facilities to the youth interested in setting up their own ventures,” Khan said, alleging that under a well-planned conspiracy the government is trying to suppress the economy of the state.

“The report is the clear reflection of the ground situation in the state where the private businesses have been marred by the official corruption and indifference of the authorities,” Khan said, alleging that the businessmen in Kashmir are being marginalized under a conspiracy. Gujarat tops the list by scoring 71.14 per cent in the status of implementation of the 98-point Reforms agenda, while J&K with an overall score of 5.93 per cent figures almost at the nil of the bottom. According to the rank-wise list, only Meghalaya (4.38 %), Nagaland (3.41 %) and Arunachal Pradesh (1.23 %) are behind J&K.

Apart from Gujarat, other best performing states in implementation of Reforms are Andhra Pradesh at score of 70.12%, Jharkhand (63.09 %), Chhattisgarh (62.45), Madhya Pradesh (62 %), Rajasthan (61.04%), Orissa (52.12 %) and Maharashtra (49.43 %). The neighbouring states of J&K are far ahead in implementation of reforms with Haryana scoring 40.66 %, Delhi (37.35 %), Punjab (36.73 %), Himachal Pradesh (23.95 %).