Industry highly relieved

LUDHIANA: The industry that was perturbed over the government���s decision to increase power tariff have now heaved a sigh of relief with state announcing that it would bear the increase and consumers would be provided power at a subsidized rate.
In times when industry claimed to be running in losses due to recession as well as power shortage, the new decision has surely helped the business community as well as domestic consumers.
Commenting on the subsidy, PD Sharma, president of the Apex Chambers of Commerce and Industry hailed the decision and said it would help the industry a lot. ���It���s good that government has decided to bear the burden of increase in power tariff,��� he exclaimed.
He asserted the industry in city had already lagged behind many other states. ���Recession followed by powercuts had broken the backbone of industry in the state, because of which the manufacturers were running in loss or working on very low margin. The decision would help in reviving the industry in state,��� he said.
Sachit, a hosiery manufacturer said, ���China made goods, which are low in prices offer a tough competition to their Indian counterparts. This further addition would have increased the input costs giving a death blow to industry in the state.���
With the state government deciding to bear Rs 1,296 crore of the additional burden, the state exchequer is expected to run into huge losses.
However, some citizens are concerned about the health of state economy too and agreeing with the finance minister that all subsidies should be withdrawn, they believe government should not succumb to any pressure.
Satnam Singh, a school teacher commented, ���Earlier, only agricultural sector used to get power free of cost, however, industry, at that time had criticized this subsidy, so now, why should they get this subsidy at the cost of causing loss to the state exchequer.���
���And, now as the state is going to incur more losses due to the low prices of electricity, they would waste it more,��� said the teacher, who felt that government must not succumb to pressures.