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Textile Commissioner J. N. Singh with a Malegaon
delegation
(File Photo) |
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Malegaon:
In December 2006 a local delegation was in New Delhi on renowned
activist Teesta Setalvad’s invitation. She had organized a grand
meeting in the Capital for the people affected by atrocities, riots
and terrorist attacks that were occurring in the country on a
regular interval. Besides various others, affected people came from
Bangalore, Gujarat and Khairlanji.
The Malegaonians at that time were fighting for a CBI probe into the
2006 Terrorist Attack that had killed more than thirty people, all
of them being the Muslims praying in the mosque. The delegation was
in New Delhi to garner support for their popular demand.
On the sidelines
of this all important meeting, Sushobha Barve, another activist
suggested to the Malegaon delegation to have a meeting with the
officers at The Planning Commission for the industrial revival of
the city. Planning Commission member Dr. Syeda Hameed, who during
her visit to Malegaon on October 10, 2006 had personal experience of
the things that are deliberately or otherwise messed up in the city,
was not in the Capital. However, Ramesh Jamthani, then Industrial
Advisor to the Planning Commission conducted the meeting in her
absence.
As
the events that unfolded later on, the meeting revived a glimmer of
hope among the Malegaonians that escalated even further after few
more rounds of meetings at the Planning Commission that followed in
quick succession with secretary level officers. The meetings had in
store for the Malegaonians more than their expectations. Important
decisions were taken courtesy the personal attention taken by Dr.
Syeda Hameed and her staff. However, as it normally happens in
Malegaon, when these decisions came for actual implementation, they
were either blatantly ignored or were molded in a way that could
result in as little advantage to the town as would have been
possible.
What transpired at the Planning Commission
The
first question that came to discussion in the first meeting with the
Planning Commission was why despite so many schemes announced by the
Government, the people in Malegaon have failed in keeping the pace
with their counterparts at other textile centers. “The people of
Malgeaon are religious in nature and since the government schemes
that facilitate subsidies and other benefits are routed through
banks working on Interest, the industrialists in Malegaon could not
avail any advantage of the schemes that had benefited other textile
centers like Ichalkirnji to a great scale”, Ayyub Qasmi of
Association of Powerloom Modernization (APM) had reasoned.
The
Commission was amazed. “This is the first time anyone is telling us
of your problems in a clear terms, Ramesh Jamthani had reacted”,
Ayyub Qasmi recalled.
It
was also brought to the Planning Commission’s notice that Government
of Maharashtra favored all the leading textile centers of the state
barring Malegaon and Bhiwandi - the two prominent textile towns
having a sizeable number of Muslim populations, with a D+ status.
The D+ status for an industrial area meant enjoying the maximum
benefits and 35% subsidy that when added with the 20% Central
Government subsidy amounted to a total of 55% on purchasing the
modern and other machineries. The Commission was shocked again. Was
it a step motherly attitude of the state government towards Malegaon
and Bhiwandi? The commission was in a dilemma.
A
series of meetings were held in quick succession to find a way-out.
The first thing decided in these meetings was, Malegaon should have
an industrial area developed by Maharashtra Industrial Development
Corporation (MIDC) for which the land was already reserved since
twenty years. Second, like other textile centers, Malegaon should
also be given the D+ status to avail the benefits and subsidies.
Third, the 55% subsidy on the purchase of new powerlooms that was
linked to the bank loan should be delinked so as to facilitate
modernization of the dying textile industry in Malegaon.
MIDC D+ for Malegaon minus subsidies
After years of struggle and a series of communiqué from the Planning
Commission, Government of Maharashtra on April 01, 2007 finally
declared Malegaon as an Industrial Area with D+ status. However,
before declaring so in its industrial policy that came into force
the same day scrapped the 35% subsidy, the main clause in the D+
status.
“Though the government is portraying its decision to declare
Malegaon as an Industrial area with D+ status a great favor extended
to the city, without the benefits and subsidies enjoyed by other
textile centers it is totally meaningless”, says Khurshid Ansari -
President of the Association of Powerloom Modernization (APM) before
adding, “There is in fact nothing for the textile industry specially
the weavers in the new industrial policy.”
For
the Industrial Area developed by Maharashtra Industrial Development
Corporation (MIDC), it took another year of painstaking efforts and
lobbying before they actually got the nod from the State Government
for the development of the coveted land in Malegaon.
“Had it not been a timely intervention by the Industry Secretary
Aziz Khan and personal efforts taken by the erstwhile District
Collector S Chockalingam, the Industrial Area by MIDC that eluded us
for many years in the past could have gone into the
backburner once again”, says
Khurshid Ansari.
Collector S Chockalingam had promised in August 2008 to present MIDC
as an Eid gift to the Malegaonians that was expected to fall on
October 2, 2008. However, just few days before this deadline,
Malegaon on September 29, 2008 was attacked by the terrorists once
again. The Malegaonians were waiting for MIDC. Instead they were
presented with a deadly attack by the terrorists. Everyone was
shattered except perhaps S Chockalingam. He kept his promise by
announcing on October 1, 2008 that MIDC for Malegaon is a reality
now.
A
relief for the Malegaonians indeed! But their demand to de-link the
subsidy, 20% from the Central Government now as
the State Government is refusing to extend 35% subsidy to Malegaon
even for a limited period, from the bank loan according to the sources in the Textile
Commissioner office is gathering the dust with the Finance Ministry
in New Delhi. Whether a decision on this issue pending since2006 is part
of the Prime Minister’s 100-day plan is not known to the Malegaonians
as of now. Till then
like other subsidies even this 20% subsidy would not make any sense
to the weavers in Malegaon, badly affected by the financial
crisis at this juncture.
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Forgotten
Heroes: “I have always wondered how, the
Muslims and the Hindus together, had decided to set a Mandir on
fire”, said Dr. 
A Masjid,
A Mandir and Me: Malegaon, a town in India with more than 70%
Muslim population has always been considered as a communally sensitive
place....
India's
'renaissance man' Kalam honoured in UK:
'I see my role as offering the voices of the silenced majority of
Muslims in America and around the world',
Zafar Shaikh-
The
Men Inspired by Debacles:
Born
in UP, Educated in Arunachal, Cracked UPSC while doing Ph. D in
Delhi: 
Skilled
Hands converting couplets 
‘Advising
Restraint, work for the Revival of the Community’:
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