JKNT
Jammu, October 7: An Urgent meeting of Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) was held today under the Presidentship of Lalit Mahajan, in respect of non release of pending payment of SSI Units since last one year for the supply of GI Pipes to the Chief Engineer PHE Department Jammu and Kashmir against the valid supply orders.
Members present in the meeting raised serious concern in respect of pending payments amounting to approximate Rs.20 Crores since long due to which the working of the Industrial Units is suffering very badly due to blockage of Funds and their Working Capital Limits stands exhausted resulting serious Financial Crunch is being faced by the Unit holders as the accumulated liability of Crores of Rupees for the last more than one year. Apart from the above the funds amounting to Crores of Rupees stand blocked in the Stocks lying in the Units against the Orders in hand issued by the Department for fresh supplies. We fear that the unit holders have no option but to close down their units in near future resulting retrenchment of hundreds of worker if their outstanding payments not release immediately.
It is pertinent to mentioned here that as per the Delayed Payment Act 2006 of Govt. of India, it is mandatory for all the Govt. Departments to release the payment of SSI Sector within 45 days from the date of receipt of material otherwise the Department is bound to pay the Interest on the Delayed Payment but the concerned officials are not adhering the guidelines of the Act for the reason best known to them resulting the Claims amounting to Crores of Rupees lying pending with the Chairman MSME, Facilitation Council, Jammu for the recovery of the amount which we terms as loss to the State Exchequer due to casual attitude of the Officials of the PHE Department responsible for the timely release of the payment of SSI Sector.
We request Finance Minister Jenab Haseeb A. Drabu, Hon’ble Minister for I&FC and PHE Department Sham Lal Chowdhary & Hon’ble Industries & Commerce Minister Chander Parkash to kindly intervene in to the matter for the immediate release of pending payments of the Unit Holders.
