Seeks special intervention from Centre to protect business, economy KG News Desk Srinagar, Jun 20: Apprehensive of financial instability over the continuous Shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir with particular to Valley, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday sought special intervention from central government to protect economy and business establishments in the newly crafted the Union Territory.In a statement issued to Kashmir Glory, the spokesman remarked that, “the business community of Kashmir was undergoing a period of unprecedented stress and turbulence and heading towards financial instability. The business organisations of Kashmir in their interaction with the Union Finance Minister on the 17th of March, 2020 had been assured that the Government was in the process of finalizing Kashmir specific interventions. The economic impact and job losses suffered by people engaged by the community in furtherance of their business undertakings, during the post 5th August 2019 period developments till mid-March were exhaustively explained and well appreciated. The Preliminary Loss Assessment Report of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry which has conservatively estimated the losses for a period of 4 months to be in the vicinity of Rs 18,000 Crores with 5 lakhs jobs lost was also discussed. We were assured that the Government would be taking urgent policy decisions and interventions to protect the business establishments and economy of Kashmir.”Due to the sudden infliction of the COVID-19 Pandemic, all focus was understandably diverted towards controlling it’s damaging impact. With experts predicting a prolonged period of deep recession and massive GDP contractions, most of our sectors face permanent and irreparable damage, the statement reads.The global focus has now shifted towards revival of crippled economic activities and India has also announced it’s intentions in this regard by the declaration of the Rs 20 Lakh Crore package. The details of the package have left us concerned because the distress of Kashmiri business community appears to have been left unaddressed, the statement reads.To briefly recall the distress, Kashmir is undergoing the tenth month of what has now become the world’s longest lockdown which started with the issuance of Government Order No. Home-881 of 2019 on the 2nd of August, 2019 which advised tourists and Yatri’s to curtail their stay in the Valley The order caused widespread panic and not only tourists and Yatris but almost all non-resident Kashmiris working in the various commercial projects and business establishments left the Valley, the statement reads.Be that as it may, Kashmir has over the years witnessed a number of enabling interventions by the Government, the recent ones being after the floods in 2014 and following the five-month turmoil in 2016. Lifelines in the shape of additional loans, deferment of repayment obligations, re-schedulements and restructuring of loans and moratoriums already stand extended and exhausted – not once but twice over – in the Valley. The downside of such stimuli is that totally dependent on the improvement of the economic scenario. In our case, rather than improving we have been moving from one crisis to another. Post-2016 the policy decisions of demonetization and GST implementation and other subsequent disruptions have ensured that there is no business turnaround for the borrowers. Circumstances absolutely beyond their control have frustrated all their attempts to revive businesses resultantly pushing them towards a vicious cycle of increasing debts and rapid business shrinkage. There is a situation of severe financial instability in the region. Because of these reasons, the requisite interventions for Kashmir necessarily have to be beyond basic economic packages to be fructiferous, the statement reads.While as the economic revival package of Rs 20 lakh crore may help in revival of the economy in other parts of the Country which have witnessed disruption for two months, it’s benefits for Kashmir are negligible. Our business community has exhausted its own resources and also faces huge debts of financial institutions, the statement reads.Keeping in view the above mentioned intervening and supervening business interruptions which have made impossible all attempts at the revival of our economy, we feel that the Doctrine of Frustration and the Principle of Force Majeure come into play. We have suffered not one but multiple grounds of “Force Majeure” including floods, weather calamities, unexpected legislation, lockouts and slowdowns. Events have prevented the competent operation of our business establishments making it impossible to meet legal and contractual obligations. The business community needs to be immediately relieved of all debts, contractual obligations and most importantly an environment conducive for business needs to be provided, the statement reads.G. C. Murmu, Hon’ble Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, BVR Subramanyam, Chief Secretary and A. K. Mehta, Principal Secretary Finance have had several interactions with the local stakeholders and have received inputs regarding the interventions required. The business community of Kashmir is anxiously looking forward to announcement of substantial enabling measures by the Government, the statement reads. In this time of crisis, the Government had also announced the appointment of Zubair Iqbal as the Managing Director of the J&K Bank. The business community of Kashmir views the appointment as a positive development to augment the good work done by the management of the Bank under the Chairmanship of RK Chibber. Now that the Government would be announcing important fiscal interventions aimed at reviving the economy, the role of J&K Bank would be critical in effective implementation of any measure, the statement concluded. Share this:PostWhatsAppTelegramTweetEmailLike this:Like Loading... Post navigation NC calls for ending illegal house arrest of party leaders, political activists Central Kashmir: Gunfight breaks out in Srinagar