Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 5: In a shocking decision, the PDP-BJP coalition Government has imposed whopping 12.5 per cent Services Tax on the pilgrims of holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji, travelling by air, from Katra to Sanji Chat and back. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has immediately implemented the Tax on the pilgrims but, according to sources, the Shrine Board was in the process of urging the Government to revert the decision.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Finance Ministry of the coalition Government headed by Haseeb Drabu has issued an order imposing 12.5 per cent Services Tax on pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine, travelling by the helicopter from Katra to Sanji Chat and back, prompting two helicopter companies Global Vectra and Himalayan Heli, the two air service providers for the pilgrims, to raise prices of the tickets with immediate effect.
Sources said the Shrine Board has immediately implemented the Government decision to impose 12.5 per cent Services Tax on the helicopter tickets availed by the pilgrims for journey of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine in Trikuta Hills but it was simultaneously planning to contest the decision by submitting detailed representation to the Government that air tickets taken by the pilgrims didn’t fall under the Services category.
“The SMVDSB officials were preparing detailed representation for perusal of the Government. The representation will be submitted shortly. The representation will carry the Shrine Board’s view point that the air services for historic pilgrim shrine, which were being provided on very low cost through competitive tendering process, can’t be brought under the Services category. Moreover, it will put the burden on the pilgrims,” sources said.
Immediately after the Government imposed the Services Tax and the Shrine Board implemented it, both the helicopter companies-Global Vectra and Himalayan Heli raised prices of the tickets for the pilgrims. Sources said prices of one way ticket from Katra to Sanji Chat has been raised from Rs 1039 to Rs 1170 while rates of to and fro tickets from Katra to Sanji Chat and back have been raised from Rs 2078 to Rs 2340.
According to rough estimates, nearly 1000 pilgrims including aged, infirm and children, who can’t trek 26 kilometers distance to and fro for darshan of Goddess Vaishno Devi, fly by air everyday to the cave shrine from Katra depending upon the weather conditions. About six to seven years back, the air ticket from Katra to Sanji Chat used to cost over Rs 3000. However, on the initiative taken by the Shrine Board, the rates of air tickets were drastically reduced by the flying companies through competitive biding to Rs 699. A couple of years back, the prices were raised to Rs 1039. With imposition of Services Tax, the rate has straight way gone up to Rs 1170.
The helicopter services to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji were started by the Shrine Board about 14 years back and since then no Government had ever imposed Services Tax on the tickets despite the fact that all major parties including NC, PDP and Congress remained at the helm of affairs. Earlier, in 1988, the air services were stopped following Pawan Hans crash at Sanji Chat.
However, with the BJP now sharing power with the PDP, a new kind of `jazia’ in the form of Services Tax has been imposed on the pilgrims of Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine.
It may be mentioned here that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been providing various kind of services to the pilgrims including eatables through its outlets at almost `no profit no loss’ basis. After takeover of the holy cave shrine by the SMVDSB in 1986, the services to the pilgrims have gone up manifold with alternate and widened tracks, accommodation, outlets of eatables, battery car services etc.
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