Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 18: Rs 1.08 lakh crore annual budget for Jammu and Kashmir UT, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament yesterday, has invited mixed response of political parties even as prominent business bodies have hailed the budget proposals.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Jammu has termed the budget as a step towards overall development of J&K UT. In a statement, Arun Gupta, President CCI, welcomed the sops and provisions given in the budget for the sector of Industries and Commerce saying this time allocation of funds viz Rs 648 crore is Rs 291 crore more than the last year’s budget thus raising hopes of all the stakeholders that soon their problems shall be mitigated.
He said that Rs 400 crore for the reimbursement of GST by State Taxes Department is also significant step for trade and industry fraternity as this will prove to be a boon for the MSME sector besides other stakeholders. He said that Government through such initiatives is doing its bit in providing much required stability to the sickening industry and business which is grappling to overcome recession caused due to curbs imposed on account of COVID-19.
Arun Gupta said that provision Rs 200 crore to set up new industrial estates as envisioned in the recently crafted industrial policy is nothing but realization of dreams of people of J&K.
Federation of Industries Jammu (FoIJ) has also termed the JKUT budget 2021-22 as a step towards industrilzation under Atam Nirbhar Bharat
Allocation of Rs 648 Crores for Industry & Commerce Department with an increase of 291 crores from the last year budget and Rs 400 crore for the reimbursement of GST by State Tax Department are steps to provide relief to existing MSME Sector of J&K as well as to provide the infrastructure for the development of new Industrial Estates keeping in mind the massive investment in near future on the basis of 28400 crores Industrial package of incentives 2021 approved by Govt of India for J&K UT, said Lalit Mahajan, Chairman FoIJ
He also requested Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for the early grant of State Fiscal Incentive Package which will provide relief to the existing units and units under substantial expansion.
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee has said that the Budget allocations are short of the people’s expectations and needs on various fronts in view of numerous challenges and dreams post downgrading of State into a UT.
Senior leaders of the party said that a meager increase from Rs 1,01,428 crore to 1.08 crore as compared to the last year, is even less the routine enhancement expected by the people in view of the large scale unemployment, less opportunities of job generations and economic distress post division and downgrading of State into UT and especially the dreams shown to the people by the BJP after the abrogation of special status.
These senior leaders, including Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla, Ravinder Sharma, Kanta Bhan, Yogesh Sawhney, Hari Singh Chib and others have expressed dismay over the lack of any major initiatives to boost the economically distressed region due to the division and downgrading of the historic State and resultant atmosphere of uncertainty disturbing the trade, transport, business, tourism activities. The provision of Rs 10 crore for district with DDCs, too would be short of the large scale needs and expectations of people from PRIs with regard to developmental needs and various gap in the basic amenities to the rural population, they added.
Hailing the Government over meticulously chalking out Budget 2021 for the J&K UT, former minister and Incharge BJP HQ J&K, Priya Sethi called it as the thoughtful remedy to all the problems and issues currently the Union Territory is confronting with.
She said that the Budget comprises of all the necessary constituents to strengthen the aspiring sectors especially the newly formed DDCs and BDCs. Whooping Rs 200 crore for just 20 DDCs speaks louder than words about the intent of Government for empowering common man, she said, adding that considerable enhancement in budget allocation for various departments is the testimony to fact that BJP Government holds special affinity towards people of UT.
Claiming that Rs 846 crore segregated for the Kashmiri Pandits in the Budget will go a long way in satiating the aspiration of the displaced community, Priya Sethi said that this budget will help in ushering new era of development, public contentment and governance as never before.
BJP State general secretary and former MLC Vibodh Gupta has termed the Budget as a historic Budget, which will help in improvement of standards of living and will further boost the tourism sector and help in revival of the economy post COVID-19.
Expressing his happiness over the special allocation of Rs 200 crore for Mission Youth Programme, Vibodh said that this will help in channelising the potential and energy of our youth towards growth and development of the UT. He said that initiatives such as giving priority to CRIF and PMGSY roads through an allocation of Rs 1500 crore and Rs 500 crore, respectively and a very special maintenance budget of Rs 28 crore for Mughal Road will boost connectivity and also help in tourism promotion and job creation.
In his reaction to the allocation of Rs 200 crore development fund for the newly constituted DDC’s and Rs 71 crore for BDC, Vibodh said that this will help in fast development of far off and remote areas of J&K through these democratically elected institutions.
While terming the J&K Budget presented in Parliament as a routine exercise, CPI(M) said it was disappointing for the people of the region as there was no concrete plan in it to revive the shattered economy of Jammu and Kashmir.
Unfortunately, it is the most disappointing Budget for the people of J&K. All businesses in J&K have been shattered post the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and there is no mention of reviving them and to assist those who suffered huge losses, said R K Bhat of CPI(M), adding that what is clear from this Budget is that this Government pays only lip service to the plight of the poor and workers.
Sunil Dimple, president of Mission Statehood Jammu Kashmir and Jammu West Assembly Movement led a demonstration of some youth, traders and transporters to register protest against the J&K UT budget 2021-22.
They also torched copies of the budget , which has no provision to regularize daily wagers, Rehbar-e-Khel teachers, SPOs, VDC, Home Guards, CISF, BSF and Contractual lecturers. Alleging that youths of Jammu Kashmir got nothing in the JK budget, they described it as directionless, anti youths and anti traders.
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