Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 1: The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bari Brahamana Industries Association and State BJP unit have welcomed the Union Budget and various initiatives taken by Modi Govt while Congress and a few other organizations have termed it as anti-people and anti-poor.
Reacting to the Union Budget today, Rakesh Gupta, president JCCI welcomed the various initiatives taken especially the massive increase in the defence budget which was of utmost importance keeping in view the security concerns and external threats being faced by our country, initiatives to uplift the poor and weaker sections of the society, massive spending on infra which would help in growth of GDP of consumer driven debt financed economy, extension of affordable housing PM’s initiative by one year and the pension scheme for the weaker section above 60 years.
“JCCI feels that there should have been some relaxation in GST regime wherein services are being taxed as highest as 18 % effecting every citizen of the country. Some permanent solution of the farmers income problem should have been considered by way of providing Budget for space and infra to sell their agriculture produce directly so that real value of their produce could be realized,” Gupta said.
He also said that some interests subsidy subvention scheme should have been announced for the traders who are the major part of MSME sector and facing the worst because of implementation of GST especially in a J&K state where even “One Nation One Tax ” after the GST has not been implemented by the Government. The Chamber chief raised doubts regarding the Union Budget announcements being implemented by J&K State Government considering the non-implementation of One Nation One Tax formula wherein a sum of Rs 900 crores under the guise of state toll on goods is being collected in addition to the GST.
Reacting to the announcement that there shall be no Income Tax upto the income of Rs 5 lakhs the Jammu Chamber feels it is just a honey trap as it has been linked to a particular section in the Income Tax act and shall not be a big relief or a permanent relief.
Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Lalit Gupta lauded the Interim Budget 2019-20 presented by Piyush Goyal Union Minister for Finance in which relief was provided to the Common People of the country.
While going through the Budget documents it is noted that the Fiscal deficit has been brought down to be only 2.5% of GDP in this year, increase in the share of the States from 32% to 42% in Central taxes, banking reforms, coverage of 5.4 lakhs villages under Swachh Bharat Mission, up gradation of road network, relief to Income Tax payers, empowering MSMEs and traders, interest rebate to MSME Sector, simplification of Direct Tax System to benefit Tax-payers, GST reform for benefit to consumers and businesses etc but no provision has been made for Public Sector Undertaking as promised by Govt of India in the previous budgets.
BBIA further said that rapid industrialization in our State is the need to provide employment to the local youths of the State but no State Fiscal Incentives are available in our State for new units for which request was made to Prime Minister of India to provide requisite funds from Central Govt to State and also sanction Public Sector Undertaking like Rail Coach/Workshop Unit, Suger Mill etc which will open the doors for the MSME Sector of our State to establish Units to cater the demand of Public Sector Under taking.
State BJP president Ravinder Raina in his budget reaction said that Union Budget reflects vision of Modi Government. Raina in a press statement said that this budget is the budget of poor, middle class, budget of business men, defence forces, farmers, youth and the budget of development. He emphasized that this budget has reflected upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas”. He said that Modi led Central Government has taken not one, not ten but hundreds of decisive steps that can only be taken by a truly Nationalist person, striving for taking Nation to the top of the world and this budget represents BJP’s strong will and love for Nation.
Raina said that though the medium of this people friendly budget, PM Modi has fulfilled the demand of common mass to raise the tax slab from earlier 2.5 lakh rupees to 5 lakh rupees now, which will help in improving the tax compliance and benefit to around 3 crore people. This budget has also gifted free LPG cylinders from 6 crore to 8 crore, hence, giving relief to more number of ladies across the Nation. He said defence budget has also been hiked substantially, while farmers are given the major benefits in this budget, Raina said and added that rural roads, animal husbandry and others are also given boost in this budget, thus touching lives of every “Aam Aadmi” in this friendly budget.
Giving his immediate observation on the interim Budget for the year 2019-20, former president CCI Jammu and president All India Professionals’ Congress, J&K State, Y V Sharma termed it as yet another bundle of illusory promises. Welcoming the exemption limit of 5 lakhs, Sharma regarded this budget as very depressing for the farmers, unemployed youth and other marginalized sections of society.
He said giving benefit of Rs 500 per month to the farmers having less than 2 hectares of land is a humiliating joke. Adding to their hardships by increasing the rates of diesel, petrol , electricity and other infrastructure and the giving them a benefit of Rs 500 per month speaks of the non- seriousness of the Govt towards the fate of the farmers. Sharma asserted that the miserable plight of the farmers deserve a well thought out plan for ameliorating their lot.
Sharma opined that it is difficult to comment on the budget in the absence of various details and clarifications. He doubted the implementation of various schemes and on the face of it, it just appears an election budget with out any roadmap for its implementation like the promises before the 2014 elections which were never fufilled during their tenure.
Taking dig at Union Budget Subash Gupta( Ex-MLC) called the budget BJP’s ‘election manifesto’ and accused the ruling dispensation of bribing voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
He said the promises made by the BJP in this budget are mere poll sops which will not be fulfilled as the BJP has a mandate to rule only till May this year. Gupta further said that the BJP has not told the people on what they have achieved during their rule and how many promises it has fulfilled in its five years of Government.
“There is politics in everything they do and there is nothing for the poor in this budget. It is only for getting votes,” Gupta said, adding that people understand that they will not be befooled any more.
Meanwhile, Jammu West Assembly Movement leader Sunil Dimple in his reaction over Union Budget said that there is no relief in the budget for the people, youth, Govt employees of the J&K state. Dimple termed this Interim Union budget presented by Piyush Goel totally anti- people, anti- poor and common man budget. He said there is nothing in the budget to stabilize the economy of the people of the country. He said this is PM Modi’s last budget, which is totally unconcerned about the common man.
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