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| High percentage charged in canteens Soliders get raw deal from J&K on VAT | | |
Kunal Shrivatsa
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 23: It may sound strange but it is true that the state, from where a very high percentage of aspirants including men and women every year vie to don the colours of olive green, seems to have no regard for their passion to serve the motherland.
Going by the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime in the state it holds true that serving as well as retired soldiers here are being treated just as any other ordinary citizen.
Though the Canteen Stores Department (CSD) of Indian Army are exempted from VAT in several states of the country and in others a nominal 4 percent is imposed but here in J&K it is charged at the rate of staggering 13.5 percent.
The army men rue the fact that instead of revoking or reducing the 'dreaded' VAT which they say is their long pending grievance, the state government has further increased it by one percent from the previous 12.5 to 13.5 percent.
"The soldiers risk their lives for the nation's better tomorrow but unfortunately they are being given a raw deal by the state government which is not only unsympathetic but also unfriendly towards them", said a soldier on condition of anonymity.
It is worthwhile to mention here that in this year's state budget, the government has enhanced the VAT by one percent on army canteens.
Speaking to Early Times, some of the serving and retired soldiers said that the way state government is treating them is not only disgraceful but agonizing also.
"Just a few days back 24 Gentleman Cadets from the state passed out from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun which shows that how much the youth of this region adore Indian Army but I am sorry to say the future in my opinion looks dark as the state government is least bothered to take care of the army men." said Flt Lt (Retd) GS Rana "Such an apathetic attitude of the state government towards the army personnel would have a negative impact on those who dream of joining the armed forces and they could drop their idea to wear the olive green keeping in view the ill treatment given to those serving or retired." he added
The army personnel alleged that the state government is insensitive towards them by further increasing the VAT to 13.5 percent on the goods sold in the canteens of the army and not extending other facilities that were being provided elsewhere in the country.
Several retired army personnel pointed out that they were being discriminated by the state government that has failed to take steps to remove their long standing grievances.
Because of the high level of VAT in J&K, serving and retired soldiers have no other choice but to purchase vehicles and other expensive items from the CSD stores located in the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
Secretary of the J&K Ex- Servicemen League, Retired Colonel Virender Sahi, said that the league approached the state government with a plea to reduce the VAT on the army canteens. "A four member cabinet sub-committee constituted to look into the issue and reduction of VAT on canteens was recommended. However, the recommendation remained unimplemented as Ghulam Nabi Azad, the then Chief Minister resigned after his government reduced to minority since PDP withdrew its support", he said. The issue was also raised before the present state government by the Rajya Sainik Board. |
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