Rajasthan's ARTIA calls to include demands of industry in poll manifestos

All Raj Trade and Industries Association (ARTIA), a Rajasthan-based trade body, has urged major political parties to include the demands of the industry in their poll manifestos.

According to ARTIA, these are important from the point of view of the economy and employment.

Prem Biyani, executive president of ARTIA, said the industry, trade, services and agriculture sectors have an important contribution to the state’s economy.

The assembly polls in Rajasthan will be held on November 23.

Biyani said these sectors should be promoted in the country, their problems resolved and the tax system should be simplified.

“The manifesto-making team of political parties should meet the industrial-business organisations, listen to their problems and include their needs in their manifestos,” Biyani said. This, he said, will benefit both the government and the public and the industry will also gain momentum.

According to Kamal Kandoi, chief advisor of ARTIA, the government and political parties should not consider industry and trade as just a means of tax collection. They should understand their importance.

Similarly, the unorganised sector and retail businessmen also earn their living through self-employment and generate revenue for the government.

“Political parties should also understand the needs of this section and include the employer community in their manifestos,” Kandoi said.

Speaking about the economy of Rajasthan, Biyani said the size of gross value added (GVA) has been Rs 13.11 trillion in the last financial year.

ARTIA also appealed to all major industrial-business organisations of the state to put pressure on political parties so that their needs are included in the manifestos.