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| Slew of measures for flood-hit traders, transporters, hoteliers | | | JAMMU: State government will commence relief and rehabilitation of flood affected people in the state fromApril 1, 2015 by focusing on restoring their livelihood by reviving the economy.
This was stated by Minister for Finance and Culture Haseeb Drabu while talking to reporters after presenting his maiden budget in the state Legislative Assembly today. He said “We will start relief and rehabilitation of flood-hit people in Jammu and Kashmir from first week of April.” He added that instead of constructing residential complexes, state government’s priority would be to restore livelihood of the flood-hit people across Kashmir valley.
Drabu said ”Jab dukan chal paday gee, makaan tou ban hi jaye ga.” He maintained that restoration of livelihoods will receive our focused attention and efforts; for which little seems to have been done. “The floods have devastated the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from houseless people, the revival of the business sector would be our focus. Large part of the budget talks about the floods. Soon we return back to business, sooner the economy will grow. The (construction of) houses are not the focus and focus is business,” the minister said.
Apart from rehabilitation of homeless people, the revival of the business sector would be the focus of the state government, he said. ”Once the business is revived, they can earn and pay taxes. The main issue is how to revive it and give relief. The previous government has submitted a large sum of package of Rs 44,000 crore to the Centre. We will pursue that,” he said.
Drabu said that the previous government had submitted a memorandum to the central government seeking financial assistance of f 43,960 crore over and above the SDRF-NDRF framework. Calling proposal Adhoc and arbitrary for comfort, Drabu said that he was neither convinced by method in which it has been estimated nor manner in which it has been designed. He said that there is need to refocus it and include not only areas that are “flood affected” but also “flood impacted”.
Besides, there is also need to move away from being asset-centric towards the restoration of livelihood. He further said that there is great requirement of giving some tangible relief to commercial enterprises and household on their liabilities-repayment and interest on the bank loans and taxation to government. After saying all this, Drabu said that since the modification would be a time consuming affair, the government has decided to endorse it for speedy disbursement.
He said that they have created a Relief and Rehabilitation Department which will coordinate all the relief and rehabilitation activities across all sectors. Drabu maintained that World Bank is ready to disburse Rs. 250 million dollars and for that, they have created a “Project Monitoring Unit (PMU)”, which will be dedicated to monitor the multi-sectoral projects to be implemented under Flood Recovery and Restoration programme to be supported by the World Bank.
He said that in the first instance three dedicated Project Implementing Units (PIUs) would be created in the major sectors: one each in PWD (R&B), Irrigation & Flood Control Department and in Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). Drabu announced that as a relief measure for Trade and Industry including all commercial establishments affected by the recent flood, Demand Charges on electricity for seven months from September 2014 to March 2015 shall be waived off.
He exempted such of the vehicles which remained off road due to floods, from September to December, 2014 from payment of passenger tax under the J&K Passenger Tax Act, 1963. Drabu extended remission of stamp duty uptoMarch 31, 2016 chargeable under the Stamps Act in case of instruments/documents executed between borrowers and the lending financial institutions on the fresh loans advanced by such institutions to the persons affected by the floods.
For the tourism sector which suffered colossal losses in the floods, Drabu proposed to continue the exemption under the GST in respect of lodging services provided by hotels, lodges and guest houses up to end March, 2016. To give relief and help refurbish and rebuild hotel infrastructure, Drabu proposed to exempt all hoteliers from payment of entry tax on furniture/office equipment/kitchen equipment/other goods imported into the state for replacement and refurbishment till June 2015.
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