SGCCI Delegation Seeks Relief Package and Policy Reforms

Surat | Gujarat — The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), under the leadership of its vice-president Ashok Jirawala, has turned up the heat on pressing industrial issues by leading a high-powered delegation to Gandhinagar on Monday. The delegation made strong representations to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, seeking urgent relief and reforms for industries in South Gujarat.

The delegation, which included treasurer CA Mitish Modi and deputy secretary Paulik Desai, presented a detailed charter of demands that highlighted bottlenecks in GIDC policies, blocked ITC refunds, and financial stress caused by US tariffs on exports.

“We have urged the state government to act swiftly on issues that are directly affecting the growth of South Gujarat industries. The transfer policy of GIDC must be simplified, and the long-pending ITC refund on imitation goods, blocked since 2023, should be unblocked without delay,” said Ashok Jirawala, emphasizing that unresolved issues were hurting investor confidence.

SGCCI president Nikhil Madrasi underlined the broader impact of international trade tariffs. “The imposition of tariffs by the United States has already started affecting local industries. We have demanded a financial relief package to cushion the losses. Additionally, the state should extend the VAT refund benefits under the 2001 Textile Policy for another two years and provide a subsidy of ₹2 per unit in electricity tariffs for the textile sector,” Madrasi said.

The SGCCI delegation also called for immediate action on the PM Mitra Park, urging the government to appoint a master developer and grant a place for the SGCCI president on its SPV board to ensure the industry’s voice is heard in key decisions.

Among other key submissions, SGCCI pressed for:

Granting industrial status to automobile sales and service units in GIDC.

Abolishing vehicle tax in municipal areas.

Providing agricultural-level electricity rates to the shrimp farming sector.

Allowing offline applications under the Gujarat Textile Policy 2019.

The Chamber leaders stressed that addressing these concerns would unlock growth potential across multiple sectors. “The speedy resolution of these issues will not only revive investor sentiment but also accelerate industrial development in South Gujarat,” said treasurer CA Mitish Modi.

The meeting was marked by a positive response from both Chief Minister Patel and Finance Minister Desai. “The Ministers listened to our submissions patiently and assured us that the concerns of industries will be resolved at the earliest,” said deputy secretary Paulik Desai, expressing optimism.