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| Business community of state threatens to pursue financial indiscipline, not to pay taxes | | Demand return of NHPC projects, proper operation of cross LoC trade | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: The business community of the state today threatened to stop paying of taxes saying that the traders are being un-necessarily harassed by the commercial taxes department and sales tax authorities of the state.
Addressing a joint press conference with Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), President Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Rakesh Gupta said that the businessmen and traders are the honest tax payers, but still then they are being harassed by the concerned authorities. "It is quite unfortunate that despite being honest tax payers the business community of the state is being victimized by the commercial taxes department and the sales tax department. I warn the higher ups of two departments to mend their own ways otherwise we would stop the payment of taxes. The higher ups of the two departments would be responsible for the consequences thereof," said Gupta. The JCCI President said that the staff posted at the Lakhanpur entry point are 'corrupt' and the government should look into this issue adding that the situation may get out of control at any point of time in future. He said members of both the Jammu and Kashmir chambers would meet Finance Minister, Dr. Haseeb Drabu in this regard and make their point clear. "Both the chambers put on notice the state government to stop the harassment of all traders before we react and resort to financial indiscipline. We request the chief minister and the finance minister to announce amnesty to pertaining to pre-VAT period. We warn the Commercial Taxes department not to enter the premises of honest taxpaying business people and instead advise them to stop corruption within their own department at Lakhanpur, the only entry point to the state," said Gupta.
The JCCI President demanded that a committee should be formulated so that the entire state of Jammu & Kashmir is made free economic zone. He said once the state is made a free economic zone then the businessmen and traders of Jammu & Kashmir would be able to carry out business with people living in areas like Central Asia, China, Russia, Iran and Afghanistan.
Speaking on the occasion, President KCCI, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani said that Jammu & Kashmir should be compensated for the losses incurred due to the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). He said the interlocutors appointed by the Government of India some years back had proposed for the return of power projects to the state but the same was not applied.
"Both the chambers demand from the central government the return of all the power projects which are run by NHPC illegally in the state. The NHPC is running the power projects on adhoc basis as there is no agreement for continuing their running through NHPC and that the Power Development Corporation (PDC) is capable of running the same," said Mushtaq.
The KCCI President said that this step would be one of the main steps which will ensure economic development as the amount of money spent by the state government to buy the power at exorbitant rates shall be available to the state government for development.
He demanded that the state government should give the status of industry to the tourism sector including the hotel industry.
Gupta said that there is no justification for the NHPC to operate the power projects since the deadline for their handing over to the state has already expired. He said the power projects are the property of the state and there is no reason or justification for NHPC to operate the power projects furthermore.
Referring to the cross LoC trade the JCCI President said that the trade continues to be a barter system of trade with the benefits being reap by some of the traders living on both sides of the Line of Control. The KCCI President until Jammu & Kashmir is made free economic zone cross LoC trade should be carried out on basis of negative list of not more than 50 items and not on positive list of 21 items that is the case now. |
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