Urgent matter

Central government should listen to the voices coming out from Kashmir valley especially from business community as they have been facing the brunt of situation prevailing in Kashmir from the past so many decades.

Post abrogation of article 370 on August 5, last year proved to be the last nail in the coffin business community as they are now struggling only to survive not to speak of doing any business with good returns. Half of the businesses units established and were running before abrogation of article 370 have been closed in different government estate establishments of Kashmir.

Another half of these running units are at the brink of closure as the government has failed to intervene and provide them with necessary financial cushion through different financial institutions and banks so that they can survive. In such gloomy picture prevailing on the ground, the talk of shows road shows and other such campaigns launched by the government for the investments in Kashmir have very little meaning for all these local units who are being forced to close down their small businesses due to the continues blockade of internet access and also clampdown.

The biggest challenge for the business community in Kashmir valley is the present apathy of central government to save them from the present dreadful situation. No sector right from tourism to horticulture are showing any signs of revival and now the banks and financial institutions have started asking for the loan amounts pending due to the prevailing situation.