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| Pre- Budget discussions | | Rather takes suggestion from cross-section of stake holders | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, JAN 22: After extensive consultations in the Kashmir Division, the Pre-budget discussions initiated by the Finance Ministers, Ab. Rahim Rather continued in Jammu division on the 2nd consecutive day today, with the cross sections of people including academicians, intellectuals, hoteliers, Transporters, Restaurant and Bar Owners, the J&K Distillers and Bottlers Industries and the PHD Chamber of Industries and Commerce.
The Finance Minister, who chaired the meeting, said holding of Pre-budget discussions is, in fact, a joint exercise ofTrade, Industry and Stakeholder and concerned Govt. agencies to pave way for a blue-print for a pragmatic, people friendly budget which could satiate the political economic and social aspirations of the people as well as the Government.
Economic Advisor to the J&K Government, Mr. Jalil Ahmed Khan, Commissioner/Secretary Finance, Mr. Sudhanshu Pandey, Commissioner Commercial Taxes Mr. Bashir Ahmed Khawaja, Excise Commissioner, Mr. Pardeep Gupta and representatives of Hoteliers, Restaurants and Bar Owners and Distillers and Bottlers etc participated in the meeting.
Mr. Rather said that the holding of Pre-budget discussions have always proved very beneficial in formulating realistic budgets as the exercise provides an insight into the problems of various stakeholders and also pin points shortcomings, if any, on administrative levels, for bringing improvement in the system for Budget formulation. Mr. Rather urged the all stakeholders that while projecting their demands, and suggestions larger interests of the State’s economic development and its prosperity need to be kept in mind. He called for adopting a people friendly approach for generating State’s revenues to ensure better growth, well being and all round development of the people of the State.
Responding favourably to the demands put forth by PHD, Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the Finance Minister said that the Government has taken several initiatives to mitigate the problems confronting trade and industry adding that computerization of Commercial Taxes Department would be completed within four months. He said the Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur will also be ready by ending March this year.
While the computerization of Commercial Taxes Department will enable business class to go for e-filing etc. instead of taking rounds of offices, the Toll Plaza will provide single window clearance of both Excise and Sales taxes without waiting in long ques, Mr. Rather added.
Mr. Rather said that diversion of trade from the State would not be allowed at any cost, adding that this concern has been well addressed in the ensuing Goods and Services Taxes(GST) regime wherein it has been agreed to subsume service tax. However, the Union Finance Ministry has agreed to compensate the States getting affected due to this clause of GST regime he added.
Reply to another query, Mr. Rather said that the Government would open 50 Skill Development Centers, atleast one each district, to produce Skilled manpower to run the Industries. He said during the Finance Ministers meeting at New Delhi he has enjoined upon the Union Finance Minister to extend the Industrial package for 10 years more as without a liberal financial assistance a locationally disadvantaged State like J&K could not be brought under the Industrial map of the country in real terms. He said the State Government was committed for balanced and equitable development of all the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, adding that no region will be promoted at the cost of other region.
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