Who Can believe Kashmir’s brand factories like the Silk Weaving Factory in Raj Bagh or the Joinery Mill in Pampore are about to disappear!
9 PSUs come under axe, 6 in row
MUDDASIR ALI (Greater Kashmir)
Srinagar: At a time when the economic meltdown has hit the job industry across the globe, the government has closed down nine of its public sector undertakings resulting in unemployment to hundreds of people.
Besides, six other factories including Government Silk Weaving factory, Rajbagh, Government Bemina Woolen Mills, Government Joinery Mill Pampore and Bari Bramina, knitting factory Jammu, and Modern Rosin and Turpentine factory, Miran Sahib are at the verge of closure due to the inadequate infrastructure, manpower and government’s lack of interest to revive the units.
Under the control of J&K Industries Department the sickness of the factories with least chances of their revival have been cited by the government as reasons for closing down the nine factories even as government has admitted that the units were lacking modern technology and manpower for past many years.
WOOLEN MILLS SRINAGAR:
Facing a closure threat, the building and machinery of the unit once renowned for production of quality tweeds, blankets and worsted suiting is in a dilapidated condition for want of purchase of equipments, repair and replacement of machinery and major up gradation of existing infrastructure.
For want of revival the factory, which once used to produce 3.58 metric lakhs of cloth annually has incurred accumulated losses of Rs 4493 lakhs till March 2008. The engagement of additional 91 employees than required in the unit established in 1971 has also led to increase in the losses suffered over the years.
SILK WEAVING FACTORY:
Established in 1939 with an annual production of 3.50 metric tons of silk annually, the unit has almost become defunct as the entire plant and the machinery installed in it has outlived its life as no major up gradation has been undertaken since 1941.
Government said due to the frequent breakdown in the obsolete machinery, the production of the factory has decreased drastically contributing to the sickness of the factory.
Craving for modernization of its infrastructure which was imported from United Kingdom and Belgium, the factory has suffered accumulated losses of Rs 3680 lakhs till last year.
Lack of modern machinery, unskilled manpower and least attention by the successive governments towards the factories has been cited as the reason for the growing sickness of other four industries.
Government wakes up to sickness of factories:
Two separate sub-committees with members from various government departments have been set up to consider the revival plans for Rs 163 lakhs and Rs 260 lakhs respectively for Woolen and Silk factories. Government is also mulling the preparation of revival plans for Joinery Mills Pampore and Bari Bramina, knitting factory and Modern Rosin and Turpentine factory.