SATISH HANDA

The entrepreneurs of Ambala scientific instruments industry facing severe
recession since past many years had high hopes for relief in 2020 union budget
announced on February 1 expecting attractive packages and financial ‘boost up’
but are seen unhappy finding no relief in present budget.
There are more than 1.22 lakh micro and small industrial units in Haryana state
in nearly 30 different manufacturing sectors, besides 2415 medium and large
industries in agriculture implements, footwear, readymade garments, stainless
steel utensil, textile machinery, yarn, surgical equipment, educational & medical
instrument, plywood, auto parts, hosiery, woollen garments, carpet, blanket,
fabrication & fittings, iron foundry, metal processing mixi, leather products,
dairy products, pharmaceutical sectors having exports of value worth Rs
89006.17 crore. The entrepreneurs of Ambala scientific industry having more
than 1000 manufacturing units at Ambala Cantt producing scientific equipment,
medical instruments, laboratory glassware and laboratory plastic ware products
providing employment to over 10000 persons producing instruments for
education, health and defence since past about 120 years supplying goods not
only in the country but all over world including USA, USSR, Europe and all
Asian countries.
According to Gian Chand Aggarwal President Scientific Appliances
Manufacturers Association and Umesh Gupta President Scientific Apparatus
Manufacturers Export Association, in-spite of assurances made several times
the dreams of entrepreneurs that Ambala would be given special status of
‘Science City’ have remained unfulfilled in present budget. Demanding
immediate reduction in GST on scientific instruments from 18% to 5% both
association leaders said, higher GST slab on scientific instruments is another
reason for local manufacturers losing business and unable to compete in prices
with manufacturers in Gujarat state and instruments imported from China
flooded in domestic markets due to higher production cost as such Ambala
manufacturers are losing business to manufacturers in China since past few
years and large number of manufacturers at Ambala turned sick were forced to
closed down their shutters. Earlier, the rate of GST on scientific instrument was
28% and reduced to 18% when local entrepreneurs made protests.

The Financial World during a survey observed that farmers as well as
government employees, too, express un-satisfaction over recent union budget
brought them no relief. According to Ratan Maan state president Bhartiya Kisan
Union, the present budget is anti-farmers unable to increase their income as
assured by Naremder Modi Prime Minister that farmers’ income would be
double by the year 2022. Maan said, government should create law for
guaranteed minimum support price on purchase of crops from the farmers
enabling every farmer able to earn Rs 18000 in a month in view of increasing
cases of suicides by the farmers burdened under heavy debt. Maan demanded
government to waive off farmers loans since large number of farmers are facing
severe financial crisis.
Another farmer leader Rakesh Bains said that insufficient funds has been
allocated in the field of agriculture, rural developments and ‘Panchayat Raaj’ in
present union budget demanding government to constitute a road map to reduce
production cost of farmers crops.. He further added that 16-point formulae
announced in present budget for the welfare of farmers is not going to provide
any direct benefit to the farmers. General Secretary Haryana Roadway
Employees Union Virender Dhankhad said that present union budget will not
provide relief to employees working in government departments since important
issues like fresh appointment opportunities in all government departments,
implementation of old pension policy to provide relief to nearly 60 lakh
employees due to NPS, neglect towards other self-employment schemes and
absence of provision for purchase of new machinery in the budget in railways,
insurance, banking, transport and electricity departments are burning issues
neglected in present union budget likely to adversely affect employees working
in these sectors.