EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Jan 29: The Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather has said that the coalition Government headed by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in a landmark initiative, has taken a bold decision to make agriculture sector 100 percent tax free.
This is the first of its kind initiative in the history of the J&K State, which no dispensation, whatsoever, can now afford to revoke as it of serves the noble cause ameliorating the lot of about 80 percent population of the State comprising farmer community.
Speaking at a thought provoking session held in connection with consultations under the J&K Board for Development of Kissans at Jammu, the Finance Minister said that agriculture sector is the mainstay of state's economy which needs focused emphasis in budget and plan formulations and its implementation.
He said that today's discussion have been conceived with a positive frame of mind to carry on extension of tax concessions and incentives to the farm sector to make it much more remunerative activity, adding that every possible measure would be made to introduce all the available farm technologies and innovations by providing tax relief on procurement of agriculture inputs and implements and import farm machinery.
"With the advancement of science and technology, farm mechanization has also taken off overwhelmingly and it was paramount duty of the Government to provide every sort of logistic support to the farming community to switch over to new advancements in this field," Rather observed.
Assuring that the Government will focus on area specific agri-planning, the Finance Minister said that all the Banking Institutions, in the latest State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) have been asked to complete 100% assigned targets to provide Kissan Credit Card (KCC) before the end of current fiscal.
Vice-Chairman, J&K Board for Development of also spoke on the occasion and lauded measures taken up by the coalition Government for prosperity and progress of the farming community. |
