PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The president of Kumaun Garhwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), Pawan Agarwal met the chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami here on Friday and requested him to ensure adequate supply of LPG cylinders to the State-based industries. Expressing concerns over the disruption of the energy supply chain due to the continuing Middle East conflict and volatility, he said that the production at the industries is being negatively impacted by the LPG crunch.
Besides, he told the CM about the problems
the agriculture based industries have been facing in Uttarakhand, citing high market fee and development cess (2.5 per cent).
Further, Agarwal drew the CM’s attention to most of the industries’ compulsion to source raw materials from other states due to insufficient local availability, which increases their production costs. The imposition of market fees and development cess on secondary imports (raw materials brought from other states) places additional financial burdens on industries, further impacting their competitiveness, he told the CM.
He said that despite UPCL’s efforts, the power supply for industries is not improving. Industries are suffering due to frequent breakdowns, tripping, power cuts, low voltage and inadequate substation capacity, he said, attributing it to the lack of timely maintenance and modernisation of the power distribution system. He further
informed the CM that after the installation of smart meters, industries are receiving excessive and inaccurate electricity bills. Despite complaints, billing is not improving, increasing the financial burden on industries, he said.
