Meeting of Punjab Plywood Manufacturers Association & Tree Growers Association (PAU)

Ludhiana, August 11, 2014: Modi’s government vision will uplift the real estate business overall infrastructural development in the country by which of plywood, plyboard & all the allied goods likely to go up. As such the said wood based industry will progress fastly in the near future. According to Ashok Kumar Juneja, Chairman & Inderjit Singh Sohal, President, Punjab Plywood Manufacturers Association (PPMA) a meeting between of office-bearers of PPMA & Tree Growers Association (TGA) (PAU) held here today in the Vidhata`s group office. They said that presently the plywood industry is under great stress due to imposition of heavy taxes & due to intervention & compliance of rules & regulations of government department such as Excise & Taxation Provident Fund, Labour, Property Tax, Pollution, Income Tax, Central Excise & others various departments. The industry is liable & burdened with heavy tax structure Social Security, electricity department & liable to pay VAT 13.20%, CST 2%, Central Excise Duty @ 12% & other misc taxes & charges 3% (Totaling 30.20%) i.e. about 1/3rd of the cost of products becomes payable to the government. They requested Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister of India to fully exempt the Excise duty on plywood units which manufacture it with Poplar otherwise the industry may shut down.

However, hoping relief from the Central & State Governments they urged upon the farmers & growers to plant more & more poplar trees in the forthcoming plantation season Ranbir Singh Sidhu, President & Harmohanjit Singh (Kaka), Secretary (TGA) said that to increase the demand plywood manufacturers of Punjab must export the ply & board to Pakistan & Afganistan due to less transportation charges from Punjab to said nearby countries.

Manjit Singh Bharowal, Ex Chairman, Market Committee & Darshan Singh Boparai a big farmer & grower said that we all stand together with each other and ready to give full co-operation to said industry further  for further rise & progress since the said Industry is back bone of Punjab`s farmers & growers.

Vishal Juneja, General Secretary & Rahul Juneja said that there is too much scope of exporting the ply & board to other progressing countries and Central Government support can be taken for said purpose.

In the meeting Baldev Singh & Harmeet Singh senior vice presidents, Ranjit Singh Sohal, Secretary, R.S. Grewal, Viren Ghuman, Manjit Singh (R M Industries), Parminder Singh (Harisar), Raghbir Singh (Harisar), Shivjit Singh Sohal & Harcharan Singh & others expressed their views in the meeting.