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| Exercise on health promotion for people of J&K | | Budget proposals _________________ | | (Behind the veil)
Early Times Report
Jammu,March 8:-The annual budget proposals presented in the state Assembly by the Finance Minister on Monday can easily be called an exercise on promoting peoples'health.And cigarrete,tobacco smokers need not blame,rather curse,Abdul Rahim Rather,if he has proposed hike in VAT and toll tax on cigarettes,cigars,smoking pipes respectively.If Rather has proposed increase in VAT and toll tax one should blame Governo,N.N.Vohra.
It is Vohra who had planted in Rather's mind the idea of increasing tax structure on cigarettes and tobacco.Vohra had called for it in a statement made by him a few days before the presentation of the budget proposals.Vohra does not want people around him to be chain smokers and hence he has goaded the Finance Minister to raise VAT and toll tax on cigarettes and tobacco.
Once the price rise in cigarettes and tobacco forces people to either reduce tobacco or cigarttee smoking or give up the bad habit it would definitely improve their logevity.But habits do not die easily.Cigarette companies have flourished even after the stuff has registered 200 per cent hike in selling prices during the last 15 years.But chances are that smokers in Jammu and Kashmir may be forced to give up their bad habit because VAT has been increased from 13.5 per cent to 25 per cent.
Another health improving exercise prescribed by Rather is his proposal on increase toll tax on edibale oil,tobacco and sheep and goat besids poultry.In case of edible oil the Finance Minister has proposed a hike to Rs.200 from Rs.140 per quintal and that of sheep and goat to Rs.250 from Rs.150 per quintal.Poulry may become costly as toll tax has been raised to Rs.five per kg.
For the last several years doctors have been campaigning against excessive use of edible oils and mutton(red meat).They believe that the problem of diabetes,hypertension and cholesterol rise are the result of excessive use of mutton and edible oils.Had Rather not been under the pressure of his party leaders and workers he would have hiked the toll tax to over Rs.500 per quintal in case of mutton and Rs.400 per quintal in case of edible oil.It is so because those who belong to the National Conference are voracious mutton eaters and not vegetarrians like those belonging to the BJP or the VHP or the Bajrang Dal.
Perhaps one is supposed to know something about the eating habits of VIPs.They should know that Rather,after he had mild heart problem in early 80's,is a poor eater and relishes less edible oil and mutton.And Governor,N.N.Vohra is a fan of boiled vegetables.Hence the new budget proposals may encourage people to imitate Rather and Vohra.
The other positive highlights of the budget proposals are increase in the wages of daily wage workers and from next month they would get Rs.125 a day and sanction of 10 per cent D A in favour of Government employees.
Another plus point of the budget is Rather's decision to allow VAT exemption on food items including Atta,Maida,Suji,Besan and rice to continue.This may keep the prices of these essential items under control.
But people would have appreciated if Rather had been specific and firm on imposing austerity measures in Government departments,including ministers,senior bureaucrats.Well done Rather.One expects his rosy face to get rosier in future.(eom)
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