Karnataka: Trade body prepares pre-budget memorandum

The trade body has also requested the government that a census of labourers in the unorganised sector should be carried out.

“Millions of labourers are working in the unorganised sector. They are deprived of benefits like ESI, insurance, compensation in case of disasters and calamities like floods, pandemic, fire and so on. There is an urgent need to conduct a census and maintain a registry of labourers in the unorganised sector…” the FKCCI said.

It has also requested the government to announce electric vehicle policy on the lines of the Delhi government, which has waived registration fee and road tax on electric vehicles.

“Incentive up to Rs 30,000 per vehicle is extended to two-wheelers, e-rickshaws and freight vehicles. This will support and help young unemployed youth both in urban, semi-urban and rural areas. Electric four-wheelers will get an incentive of up to Rs 1.5 lakh. Government of Delhi has requested all Automobile Manufacturers to provide such incentive as an initial offer. The incentives announced by the Delhi government will be applicable in addition to the existing FAME-2 benefits offered by the Union government.

“Apart from making the e-vehicles more affordable, the Delhi government will also set up more charging (points) across the national capital. The government plans to add 200 charging stations over the next year. It is requested that Karnataka State Government also shall announce such incentives to boost efforts towards clean energy and clean environment,” the memorandum read.

“There are no Common Effluent Treatment Plants provided by Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation (KSSIDC) or by the state government in any of the industrial areas or estates established by them. The industrial units have to treat their effluents up to the permissible limits/dispose of on their own,” the letter read.

FKCCI president IS Prasad has reiterated his demand that the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) should not charge consent fees for industrial enterprises and organisations based on capital investment.

“The new structure of consent fee is based on capital investment irrespective of type of activity and has to be obtained every year. The consent fees should never be based on capital investment. Consent fees shall be purely based on the type of activity, end product and the type of effluents being discharged. Industrial enterprises are classified as green, orange, red and white. A unit which does not create any pollution should not be insisted to take such consent. As a step towards Ease of Doing Business, a lot of procedures have been simplified. Karnataka Udyog Mitra, State Single Window Agency for approval of new investments, have introduced a ‘Combined Application Form (CAF)’ which has to be filed online along with one-time payment of fees for all clearances/approvals required for establishment of industrial enterprises. This shall be integrated with the same,” he said.

The FKCCI has also objected to the KSPCB levying collection charges, analysis charges of wastewater, among others, from the industrial establishments and termed them as additional cost on the industries.