Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 1: Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs, A. R. Rather today reiterated that Government was committed to make business a friendly affair and hassle-free economic activity, adding that strict instructions have been given to the concerned officers and field agencies of Finance and allied Departments including Excise & Commercial Taxes to behave politely and humbly with the traders.
Speaking at the first of its kind post-budget meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Mr. Rather said contribution of Trade & Industry to state’s economy is pivotal, adding that every possible effort will be made to address their grievances with open mind and heart.
The delegation of Chamber which was led by its President Y.V. Sharma made a strong plea to bring Commercial and Industrial Power Consumers also under the ambit of power amnesty for domestic consumers as announced in the recent Budget 2013-14. They also pleaded to exempt taxes on blankets upto MRP of Rs.300/-.
The Principal Secretary Finance, B. B. Vyas, who is also Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sr. President, S.L. Langer, Jr. President, Anil Gupta, General Secretary, Arun Gupta, Secretary, Deepak Aggarwal, Treasurers; B. B. Gupta and Members; B. B. Gupta, Vishal Gupta, Naresh Gupta, Sunil Aggarwal, B.B. Karne, Rishi Pasha, K. L. Jain and Madan Aggarwal also attended the meeting.
Mr. Rather assured the deputation that rationalization of taxes on different products and commodities is a continuous process and all the issues, with trade and industry, if remained un-resolved as yet, would be settled and resolved amicably through the process of dialogue and reconciliation. He assured the business community that random cross checking at Lakhanpur Toll Plaza has been minimized and the stoppage has now reduced to only 2% as it was important to check any possibility of tax-evasions by any unscrupulous elements.
He said possibilities would be explored to stop vehicles at Lakhanpur for under valuation. He asked the traders that the Government will make every possible effort to further simplify the taxation procedures but at the same time, traders should also keep in mind the revenue interests of the Government.
He said that computerization of the entire Commercial Taxes Department will go a long way in providing relief to the business community as e-transactions would bring a total revolution in its working and will minimize direct interface with the traders and concerned officers. He said as a sequel to bring more transparency and accountability in the working, only those officers have been posted at key positions who are men of integrity and honesty and dedicated.
The Chamber made a strong plea to exempt taxes on shoes, blankets, soaps, dry fruits, desi ghee matches and pipe fittings etc. as these products are being used by common people. They also demanded abolition of form 65 of the VAT Act, as it is already covered in Form 58. Issues related to cooked food and Gutka were also discussed in the meeting. The members assured the Minister that the tax concessions on these products would fetch more revenue as it would check flight of capital from J&K to other states.
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