‘Implement one nation, one tax formula in J&K’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 7: The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) today declared boycott of tomorrow’s pre-budget meeting with the Governor’s Administration as their demands/suggestions made during last year’s such meeting were not honoured.
Addressing a press conference here today JCCI president, Rakesh Gupta lodged his strong protest with the Governor’s Administration especially the Commercial Tax Department against harassment to the traders, industrialists and LoC traders across the State. He alleged that despite loud announcements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister, Arun Jaitely regarding “One Nation, One Tax”, the State Government continued to charge Toll Tax at Lakhanpur. And not only this after proper checking at Lakhanpur, the nakas are being laid on the highways and Jammu city and also premises of the traders and industrialists are being raided by the uniform clad men of Commercial Taxes just to defame and harass them.
He said that the promises and the assurances given by the State Govt to both the Chambers of Kashmir and Jammu during pre-budget meeting last year and before implementation of GST that the special powers available to the State under the Constitution of India to make amendments to the Centrals Laws, have been compromised.
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Gupta said that this illegal tax being charged in the name of saving the local industry is totally baseless and false as hardly 5 % of the industry in the State was being incentivized while rest of the industry is at the verge of collapse. He warned the Commercial Tax Department to desist from assessing goods as undervalued at Lakhanpur and stop checking of goods at nakas.
The JCCI president further appealed to the Governor to immediately convene a meeting with both the Chambers of Jammu besides Kashmir to simplify the GST Act as per powers available with the State and also resolve the issue.
JCCI senior vice president Rajeev Gupta, Ashu Gupta – treasurer, Surinder Mahajan president Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association and others also accompanied.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry extended it’s support to the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry with regard to the complaints of harassment of traders, industrialists and LoC traders.
” The KCCI continues to hold it’s opinion that the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax in our State was detrimental to our economic interests and compromised the special status our State enjoyed. Our State is different from any other state of the country having a special constitutional position,” a KCCI spokesman said.
” Now, after a period of more than a year having passed, the impact of implementation of GST on our economy is much clearer. Our handicrafts, tourism, industrial and other sectors are suffering. Many establishments have downed shutters permanently. Assurances and promises made have not been acted upon. Commitments made in last year’s budget were rejected. Instead, harassment, arm-twisting and punitive action is being taken against the law abiding business community who are already reeling under stressful conditions prevailing in the State. We share the anguish of our Jammu brethren and understand that they have taken the extreme step of calling for boycott of the pre-budget discussions after having left with no choice. We urge the Governor to intervene in the matter and ensure that the genuine problems faced by the trade, commerce and industry of the State are put in proper perspective and redressed,” KCCI spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Tourism Federation of Jammu has also decided to boycott the pre-budget meeting being held tomorrow and supported the stand taken by the Jammu Chamber.
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