Ludhiana, August 24, 2023: MP (Rajya Sabha) Sanjeev Arora held a meeting with bigwigs of local industry especially cycle industry in the premises of Avon Cycles Ltd on Wednesday evening. The interaction was held with initiative of Onkar Pahwa.

In two-hour session various issued were raised by local industrialists. Arora was told that at one time India’s cycle industry was leading across the world. However, India’s cycle industry is lagging now, and China is leading across the world. Industry leaders pointed out that there is a dire need to give a push to the cycle industry both at the state and the Centre level.

Industrial leaders demanded that the government should set up cycle tracks in Punjab cities, including Ludhiana and Amritsar to promote cycling and the cycle industry. It was also urged to further improve roads and industrial infrastructure besides further improving air connectivity. Demands for more incentives to cycle industry was raised by the industrialists. It was demanded that the government should announce Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) Scheme for upgradation of technology in cycle industry.

Many issues related to PSPCL, PPCB, Industry Department, Local Bodies and PSIEC were taken up in the meeting. Even issues related to pending VAT refunds were raised by some of the industrialists. The issue of GST evasion was also brought to the notice of Arora. Matters relating to improvement of roads in focal points were also discussed. The issue of working and upgrading of ESI Hospital was also discussed in detail.

Arora assured to take up with government on making R & D Centre functional at the earliest with the participation of Industry. Compounding charges policy, E-Rickshaw registration, infrastructure in general, smart meters date extension for installation, cluster formation for polluted industry, Solar energy access and many more issues were discussed in detail.

Arora listened to the problems and grievances of the industry very patiently and assured to take up all the issues with the Centre and the State government. He also narrated various development projects already in progress due to his initiatives. These projects included under-construction Halwara Airport, Ludhiana railway station and elevated road, recarpeting of focal point roads etc. He assured that Ludhiana city will soon have a 21 kms cycle track. He said he would also take up the issue of reducing GST from 12 per cent to 5 percent in the bicycle industry. He assured the industrialists to take up some issues in the next session of Rajya Sabha.

Onkar Singh Pahwa and Mandeep Pahwa (Avon Cycles Ltd), SK Rai (Hero Cycles Ltd), SS Bhogal (Bhogal Sales Corporation), Upkar Singh Ahuja (New Swan), Pankaj Sharma (Osha Tools), Sanjeev Pahwa (Ralson), Naresh Sareen (Rolex Metal), Rohit Pahwa (Nova Cycles), Chetan Pahwa (Avon Steel Pvt Ltd), Rakash Singal (Eastman), Mahesh Mittal (Aarti Steels Ltd), Sidharth Pahwa (Avon Ispat), Dr Deepak Jain (Avon Cycles) and Vineet Sood were among those present on the occasion.