AC approves amnesty for settlement of tax arrears

Rs 26 cr for Peerkho to Dounthly Nallahs

Ind Estate at Akhnoor gets nod

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 27: The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha approved a proposal of the Finance Department for granting amnesty for settlement of Tax arrears pertaining to pre GST regime.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor; Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary and Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor attended the meeting.
This step is going to provide relief to the tax payers in the form of waiver of interest and penalty besides recovery of the blocked revenue to the Government.
Earlier, all dealers could not take benefit of erstwhile amnesty scheme issued vide Govt. order no. 39-FD of 2018 dated 05/02/2018 due to various reasons including COVID-19 pandemic.
As such, large no. of representations were received from the trade/industry sector for granting a onetime opportunity to the dealers for settlement of the outstanding arrears under the pre GST tax legislations.
The amnesty Scheme provides relief to dealers on100% waiver of penalty and interest under J&K General Sales Tax Act, 1962, and Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, for assessment/ re-assessment up to 2017-18 (07/07/2017 for all and 31/08/2017 for liquor dealers), 100% waiver of penalty and interest under J&K Value Added Tax Act, 2005, and Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, for assessments up to 2017-18 (07/07 /2017), waiver of interest and penalty in (i) and (ii) subject to 100% payment of principal Tax in the manner and within the prescribed time as per the scheme to be notified by the Government and settlement of demands for Industrial Units under repealed J&K Value Added Tax Act, 2005 (up to 2017-18) (upto 07/07/2017), J&K General Sales Tax Act, 1962 (up to 07/07/2017 and 31/08/2017 for liquor-dealing units), and Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, in respect of assessed/ re-assessed demands including yet to be assessed cases with certain conditions to be notified in the scheme.
This decision on the part of Government will result into minimising of tax dispute cases and winding up of pre-GST cases etc. The time limit for receiving the applications for this amnesty will not be more than six months from the date an order is issued in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Administrative Council also approved the project regarding construction of Nallahs from Peerkho Main up to Dhounthly on Right Bank of River Tawi Package-II at an estimated cost of Rs. 26.87 Crores to be funded under Capex Budget.
The project was prepared in compliance of instructions given by National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for abatement of pollution in River Tawi by diversion of untreated wastewater from storm water drains falling into it and treatment of the same before discharge into the river.
This will ensure proper drainage and sewerage network of the area which will directly benefit the households/local inhabitants besides ensuring compliance with the directions of NGT and CPCB regarding abatement of pollution in River Tawi here.
The Administrative Council also accorded approval to different developmental activities here including construction of road in district Reasi, establishment of Industrial Estate at Akhnoor besides transferring land for different public purposes.
The AC in its meeting approved construction of road from Sujandhar to Ratnote via Gabbar Sarote in district Reasi (Length 13.10 Kms) at an estimated cost of Rs 27.588 Cr under RIDF XXIX funded through NABARD loan assistance and UT Government as per 90:10 ratio.
This road shall benefit about 10,000 people of villages Sujandhar, Samak, Chardel, Doda, Tolan Laid, Lower Gabbar, Bagdhar, Jhatakote, Batalade, Ratnote and adjoining habitations in Reasi District who are suffering in absence of any terrestrial connectivity.
The AC also approved transfer of land for public purposes to the departments for carrying out different developmental activities. In favour of School Education Department it transferred 10 Kanals of land situated at village Padergund, Tehsil Villagam, District Kupwara for construction of Government Boys High School Dahama, 2 Kanals of land situated at village Nowhatoo, Tehsil & District Anantnag for construction of Government Middle School Nowhatoo, Zone Anantnag.
It also transferred 8 Kanals of land situated at estate Pallar, Tehsil & District Budgam in favour of Social Welfare Department for construction of Vatsalya Sadan. Moreover 200 Kanals of land in estate Larmoo Tehsil Awantipora District Pulwama in favour of Islamic University of Science & Technology (IUST), Awantipora for creating necessary infrastructure.
The AC provided 300 Kanals of land situated in estate Kenihama, Tehsil B.K. Pora, District Budgam in favour of Higher Education Department for construction of various establishments of Cluster University, Srinagar
In another decision the AC accorded approval to the project development of Industrial Estate at Sole Sungal, Akhnoor for development of 100 Kanals of land which includes road widening, retaining/boundary wall, power supply, water supply, administrative block, street lighting and centralized effluent treatment plant.
The project shall be funded out of the capex budget of the department from the year 2023-24. The project would entail an expenditure of Rs 23.78 Cr. As on date out of 100 kanals of land, 72 kanals has been allotted to the entrepreneurs and 28 Kanals of land is under utilities.
The project will boost industrial development in Jammu Division along with providing employment to the youth as it envisages setting up of developmental estate which would attract investment of Rs 33.27 Cr thereby creating job avenues to around 500 youth.