Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday promised to eradicate Inspector Raj from the state, reiterating his zero-tolerance policy towards corruption to protect and promote industrial growth in Punjab.Captain Amarinder’s assurance to the industry came after small-scale hosiery and knit-wear industrial units put their shutters down in Ludhiana and a delegation of their representatives met Patiala MLA Preneet Kaur to share their woes under the Badal government’s `nadarshahi’ tax regime.Expressing serious concern over the closure of the Ludhiana small-scale industries, which followed a similar lock-out of businesses in Amritsar, Captain Amarinder said he was committed to the revival and promotion of the state industry on priority basis for overall growth and employment generation in Punjab.Pledging to do away with Inspector Raj in the state, Captain Amarinder said the Badal government had failed to address the problem despite monthly meetings on the issue as it clearly lacked the will and intent to eradicate corruption. In a statement, Captain Amarinder reassured the cottage and small industrial units functional in the walled city that they would not be forced to shift out. Rather, he said, these units would be provided the essential amenities to develop them on the lines of Smart City. A group of knowledgeable people from among the unit owners would be constituted to suggest measures for their welfare and upgradation, he added.
In their meeting with Preneet Kaur, the small scale industrial unit owners complained that they were facing a grave threat to their existence as a result of the Inspector Raj, under which they had to deal with excise, taxation, factories', employees insurance, pollution control, and more.On the one hand, the government wanted them to do `in pucca’ billing in all sale-purchase deals to check tax revenue theft, yet, on the other, the government machinery itself compelled them to indulge in such measures as a result of an irregular and unethical system called "in kutcha" so that their underhand-money-making continues unchecked, the delegation said.Pointing out that there were 12000 small-scale units in Ludhiana, providing employment to over four lakh workers, as well as a a large number of supporting units, the delegation said they were being deprived of their livelihood as a result of the Badal government’s anti-industry policies.They further complained they were being forced to shift their units from residential areas even though their trade was non-polluting and involved seasonal work. The delegation also highlighted the problem of being subjected to higher power tariff than what the government was offering to those coming from outside to set up new industrial units. They demanded a uniform power tariff for all industries, and urged the Congress to address their problems on priority basis on coming to power in Punjab.