*Jammu Chamber calls for bandh on June 4
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 31: The State budget which was presented by the Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu in the J&K Legislature on Monday has evoked sharp as well as mixed reaction from Jammu Chamber, various political, social, employees and other organizations.
Reacting sharply to the State budget, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that trade community has felt disappointed as the main demands of the community with regard to rationalization of Taxes as compared to pan India, amnesty on recoveries of Taxes and simplification of tax system to discourage Inspector Raj and corruption have not met justice.
The CCI president, Rakesh Gupta said although extension on exemptions to the Industrial sector is welcome step but at the same time. Chamber feels dejected that there is no comprehensive industrial policy that will help the existing industry and in absence of which no new industries will come up. The Chamber welcomed the decision to reserve land for woman entrepreneurs in industrial estates but CCI felt that there is no sufficient land bank.
The Chamber felt that pre-budget meetings were just an eye wash and the people in Finance Department have rushed to just fulfill the formality of presenting budget without sensing what impact on the trade and the common man would be there due to increase of VAT and Toll means. He described this budget as anti-trade and anti-poor. He said the CCI demands complete roll back of increase in VAT as the trade can’t survive with highest ever taxes being imposed as compared to rest of India. The increase in State Toll Tax will make all commodities costlier.
Mr Gupta said that the Chamber has convened a meeting of all business associations tomorrow and has felt that they are left with the only option to go for a complete bandh which may lead to indefinite bandh starting from Saturday June 4 if the State Government does not roll back the increase in VAT and Toll. He said the steep illogical increase in VAT from products under 5% to 14.5% will make most of the common man needs go out of his budget.
Congress has termed the budget as anti- poor and anti- common people, with no initiative to address the problems of unemployed youth and different sections of the society, while imposing taxes on almost all items of common use.
Reacting to the budget proposals, chief spokesperson JKPCC, Ravinder Sharma has described it as devoid of any major initiatives to provide relief to different sections of people especially the unemployed youth, farmers and daily wagers, old age and widow pensioners, besides further burdening to the common people who are already facing the brunt of steep hike in prices on all commodities of daily use. He said that the Budget would lead to rise in the prices of almost all items of common use of people. The budget has shattered the hopes of large number of unemployed youth, the agitating daily wagers, need based and other categories of workers working in different departments including Anganwadi and Asha workers, besides the refugees, the farmers who have suffered huge losses to their crops in different parts of the State, besides neglecting the general demands of business community, who were demanding tax reforms.
He said that the BJP failed to get unreasonable tax on Vaishno Devi Yatris revoked, which speaks of their utter failure to respect the religious sentiments of people. The demand for removal of VAT on CSD items for ex-service men, besides necessary measures for the promotion of Trade and Industry are missing. The flood and rains affected people including traders and farmers have also been left disappointed,
He said that State has also proposed to seek hike of power tariff besides imposing tax on cable net work and hike in air fares which have already gone very high and would discourage the pilgrims and tourists to the State. Mr Sharma termed the budget as jugglery of words and devoid of any initiatives to meet the promises made by coalition partners to fulfill the expectations of different sections of society.
Reacting to the State budget NPP leader Harshdev Singh said that in the Budget presented yesterday the Industrial policy made by the Finance Minister was claimed to be implemented in conformity with the constitution of J&K, but the BJP partnered Govt diluted the said policy as approved by State SAC headed by State Governor. He pointed out that generating 15000 direct and indirect employment opportunities for the youth would also have facilitated the outside investors to establish Industrial units and attract an investment over Rs 2000 crore per annum from all across the country.
Expressing his dismay over the parochial and myopic mindset of the separatists which seemingly stands endorsed in the present budget, Mr Singh added that it was unfortunate that the BJP had also joined their bandwagon to scuttle the New Industrial Policy. Referring to settlement of KPs in composite townships in the valley, NPP leader said that BJP has totally failed to get the same incorporated in Budget and thus had succumbed to the dictates of its ally PDP for the taste of power.
Congress leader from Bhaderwah Nadeem Sharief Niaz while speaking on the State budget said that budget for fiscal year 2016-17 shows no roadmap to revive the bad economy of State. Government has completely ignored people of the State especially those who are completely dependent on agriculture and live stock though most of the population of State is dependent on agriculture. Agriculture has become expensive for farmers for last one year ever since the new Govt was formed. He said seed, pesticides, fertilizers and insecticides are being provided to farmers at high rates which has now become impossible for farmers to buy them.
Nadeem said that Govt must increase honorarium/salary of Anganwari Workers/Helpers, ASHAs, and Mid-Day Meal workers who have totally been kept out of the purview of the budget. No enhancement has been proposed in the pension for old people, widows, handicapped, orphans and students. He said that despite the genuine demand of financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims, no funds have been proposed for remote areas of State like Chenab valley. Congress leader said that fee waiver for School girls should be appreciated but Govt has shown insensitiveness towards schools and colleges of remote areas of the State which need serious attention. The unemployment problem which has assumed alarming propositions has been left unattended in the budget. No roadmap has been shown in the budget to establish new power projects in Chenab valley which can produce jobs to millions of unemployed educated youth. The figures of budget are deceptive and won’t benefit common man, he added.
All Jammu and Kashmir State Pensioners Association has also reacted sharply to the State budget. General secretary of the of the body, Madan Lal Abrol, Yash Paul Sanson, Jagdish Dogra, Puran Chand Khajuria, Des Raj Sharma, Madan Lal Sharma, Raj Kumar Banathia, Harbans Singh, Bhushan Pargal and Mohd Shafi have termed the Budget as directionless, hopeless, anti-poor, anti-middle class, anti employees, anti-pensioners, anti-development and also anti-traders.
They strongly condemned the budget provisions which are very likely to increase the difficulties and suffering of employers and pensioners in the budget is likely to hike prices which are already sky soaring . They appealed to the State pensioners to get united for the redressal of their long pending demands. They said that a protest demonstration on June 5 ( Sunday) is being held at Rani Park Jammu.
There is no mention of enhancement of Medical allowance and implementation of 7th Pay Commission in the State budget.
Expressing his views on presenting the State economic budget by the Finance Minister on May 30 in the J&K State Legislative Assembly a noted Gujjar leader Shamsheer Hakla Poonchi has said that nothing tangible has been done for the welfare and development of Gujjar Bakerwal community of the State for the financial year 2016-17 and no funds have been allocated for this purpose. He said that State Govt should have kept some funds for this purpose in the State budget. Hakla said that Gujjar community was facing hardships for want of facilities like water, electricity, medical assistance and road communication besides other infrastructure.
Senior Congress leader and former Minister Dr Manohar Lal Sharma has termed the State budget presented by Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu as hypothetical, directionless, anti-youth, anti-farmer and anti-people. He said there was no road map of the State Government for the development in whole and particularly to mobilize State owned resources to generate employment and revenue. He strongly opposed the policy and programme adopted by the PDP-BJP Government.
Dr Sharma said there was no equal distribution of funds between Jammu and Kashmir provinces in power sector which further indicates the huge discrimination with Jammu. He said the present budget is totally silent over burning problem of unemployment. Not even a single step has been taken to deal with this crucial problem.
Follow our WhatsApp channel