| Rather for cordial, friendly relations with trade, industry | | Pre-Budget consultations | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 28: Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather, today held pre-budget consultations with cross section of people from different walks of the life. The delegations of PHD chamber of commerce and industries led by its chairman Vikrant Kuthiala, Institute of Public opinion, headed by Arun K Gupta, members of Sales Tax Bar Association, Intellectuals and some prominent Academicians met the Minister and his team of Senior functionaries of the Finance Department today and put-forth their suggestions for the next years' Budget proposals with an eye to make it pro-people and trader friendly.
The Economic Advisor of Government Jalil Ahmed Khan, Principal Secretary Finance, BB Viyas, Commissioner Commercial Taxes, Kifayat Hussain Rizvi, Excise Commissioner, Vineeta Gupta, Special Secretary Finance Shakeel-ur- Rehman, Additional Secretary Finance, Showkat Aijaz and Dy Commissioners of various wings of Commercial Taxes Department were also present during the Pre-budget consultation meetings.
Speaking on the occasion, the Finance Minister said that holding of pre-budget consultation meetings with the stake holders have provide a wonderful exercise to get correct feedback about ground relations and basic needs of the common people for which, I have made it a point to listen to all stake holders before summing up the Budget proposals.
He said assured the delegations that their genuine and thought provoking suggestions put forth during deliberations shall be kept under active consideration while finalizing the Budget proposals. He asked them to contribute their bit in mobilization of revenue resources, which was primarily imperative for economic prosperity and sustained development of the State.
He said that the state has very limited resources but problems are many. Even then, the Government has been trying to provide maximum tax concessions to the trade and industry adding that no fresh taxes were levied on common people during the Budgets presented during last 05 years. Instead, levying fresh taxes, it has been preferred to bring more reforms in the existing taxation setup by putting in place strict monitoring mechanism and bringing more transparency and accountability in the overall budget management system. He said it has been the sincere effort of the government to make procedures easier for trade and industry besides ensuring welfare and prosperity of the common people. |
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