Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: Kashmir and Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry today sought the return of power projects of the State from National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) and also pitched for making State a “free economic zone”.
In a joint press conference by KCCI president Mushtaq Ahmad Wani and JCCI president Rakesh Gupta, they demanded return of power projects to the State.
Wani demanded the return of power projects held by NHPC “illegally” from 2000 and in this regard, he said that a meeting with Ranga Rajan Committee formed by Government of India was held and the committee also recommended the return of these power projects.
Rakesh Gupta, on the occasion supported the demand of his counterpart and said that he doesn’t want that the State of Jammu and Kashmir should be dependent on Centre.
Gupta said that the KCCI and JCCI request the NHPC to return the power projects and then they should be handed over to Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation immediately. The heads of the chambers said that the State can compensate the losses to NHPC through the Indus Water Treaty, saying “we are on same page over the issue of return of power projects”.
Both the chambers demand that the Central Government take steps to declare the Jammu and Kashmir as a “free economic zone” by which they will be able to trade with all the countries in central Asia including China, Russia and Iran.
In reply to a question, JCCI president said that he understands the ramifications and compulsion of declaring the State a free economic zone given its strategic location. “But that is why we are asking Government to frame a panel to look into the possibility and modalities should be fixed,” he said. The JCCI president said that an economically free State would not only benefit Jammu and Kashmir but also country as well.
Till the above free economic zone is achieved, the KCCI and JCCI demanded that the items to be traded should be based on a negative list of not more than 50 items and not a positive list of 21 items which is the case now. “This step will ensure free trade and not a restricted trade and advantage should come to Jammu and Kashmir on both sides than to any other state as we have been the sufferers economically from 1947,” they said. Calling barter trade as “blind trade”, the JCCI president Rakesh Gupta said that it only benefits those who are close to the border on both sides.
The Chambers demanded that the government should grant industry status to tourism including hotels and all stake holders including pony walas and shikara walas.
Threatening Government of “financial indiscipline”, Gupta said that the Sales Tax Authorities should stop “unnecessary harassment” of “honest tax payers” of the State. “We warn you (government) to stop harassing honest tax payers or else we will create financial indiscipline… we will stop paying taxes,” he said.
Gupta said that the Government would be responsible for the “consequences” if harassment of the traders continue. “We warn the Commercial Taxes Department not to enter the premises of honest tax paying businessmen and instead advise them to stop corruption within their own department as the State has only single entry point and that is Lakhanpur,” he said and appealed Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu to announce amnesty pertaining to Pre Vat period.
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