| Jammu Chamber, Transporters call Jammu Bandh on Sept 16 | | | 
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 12: The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Transporters have jointly called for a day-long shutdown in this winter capital on September 16, against the failure of the Governor-headed administration, in failing to address their issues.
Speaking to the media in a joint press conference here on Thursday, JCCI President Rakesh Gupta, Chairman of J&K Transport Welfare Association TS Wazir, President of Chamber of Trader Federation Neeraj Anand and Chairman of J&K Kissan Council Rajesh Sharma, said that their burning issues and demands were not being addressed by the state administration.
Despite the fact that the JCCI, J&K Transport Welfare Association and Chamber of Traders Federation met the concerned Advisors personally, sent written communications to the Governor and also raised demands and issues through Media, the members said they were yet to get an audience from the government.
The members demanded levying of taxes, user charges by the Municipal Corporation, One Time Tax on Motor Vehicles Implementation of Central Motor Vehicle Act 2019, extension in dates for filing of Income Tax and GST Returns, unabated corruption and lack of basic amenities, in particular, the supply of power.
Mr Gupta warned the Administration that the autocratic and adamant attitude of the government during the transition time from the state to UT, has forced all the Stakeholders to come together and take an agitational path.
He said on one hand, the business community was suffering badly because of prevailing situation and on the other hand, the state administration was imposing taxes and penalties, without any consultation with the stakeholders.
He further said that the per capita income and financial ranking of the state should be the prime consideration, before imposing any levies.
"Recent notifications issued by the Municipal Corporation regarding levy of hefty users charges, One Time Tax on Motor Vehicles and implementation of Central Motor Vehicle Act 2019 by the Transport Department should be immediately cancelled and JCCI shall not negotiate and compromise on all these demands," he added.
''Hamare Hindusthan mein corruption karne wale chahe woh Ex-Union Home Minister ho ya Ex-Chief Minister ho ya in service Top Cops aur Bureaucrats ho, un sabko Jail ki salakhon ke peeche bej diya gaya, (In my country, anybody, be it former Union Home Minister, former chief minister, top cops or bureaucrats, those who indulged in corruption, were sent to jail). However, even during the Governor's rule in Jammu in Kashmir, the Sarghanas of corruption were enjoying seats of Power,'' he said.
Mr Gupta appealed to the Governor to check the menace of corruption and make the babus accountable, which would result in huge revenue in the existing system of the government and would not require any additional levies.
He also said that JCCI did not even raise the demand for net connectivity till now, keeping in consideration the national interest and the security concerns, in spite of the business world facing huge losses.
The JCCI President said, "If our demands are not met by coming Sunday, then one-day peaceful Jammu Province Bandh and Chaka Jam shall be observed on September 16.''
He further appealed to people at large to observe this bandh without any protest on the roads, to convey their concerns to the government.
T S Wazir, Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association, while speaking on the occasion, cautioned the government that the state administration was forcing them to take an agitational path, which they were avoiding till now and urged the Governor to personnaly intervene and get these unjust notifications withdrawn and cancelled immediately.
He further assured all support to the one-day Jammu Province Bandh on September 16, as the condition of the Transporters was getting worst, day-by-day.
Neeraj Anand, President of the Chamber of Traders Federation, while speaking on the occasion, extended full support to the initiatives taken by JCCI for the betterment of business community of Jammu and Kashmir.
He further said that post abrogation of Article 370, there was an immediate need for the Transportation of Horticulture produce from the Valley, that is Apple and Walnuts, because this was the peak season for the same and crores of rupees of Jammu Business Community have been paid in advance to the growers of the valley.
"We had already taken up the issues with the concerned authorities and expect that an urgent decision in this regard for a dedicated corridor to ship the consignments from Valley to Jammu be facilitated, so that our traders from Jammu be saved from huge losses in the shape of bank interest and business losses, failing which there will be no scope left, other than going for an agitational path," he added. |
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