Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 30: Chairman People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and former minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen has criticised UT Government for re-imposing irrigation tax (Abiyana) along with 7 years accumulated outstandings since 1915 when it was abolished by the then PDP-BJP coalition Government.
In a statement issued here today, Hakeem Yaseen while describing decision of the government to re- impose Irrigation tax in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory as unfortunate, described it anti- people bereft of any logic. He said the decision of the UT Government to impose Irrigation tax again along with recovery of outstanding dues of last 7 years on this account, would break the backbone of poor farmers.
He said decision to exempt Irrigation tax, taken by the previous PDP-BJP regime, had provided much needed relief to the farming community. Moreover, the collection of Irrigation tax was economically also not feasible as it would require massive manpower investment to collect a meager sum of money, Yaseen added.
PDF Chairman has urged the Government to withdraw the orders issued for re-imposition of the Irrigation tax forthwith adding that the decision has come like a bolt from blue for the farming community.
He said at the time, when farmers of the Union Territory were direly in need of relief and rehabilitation from the Government on account of losses accrued due to weather vagaries, imposition of irrigation tax would be a big cruelty with them.
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