Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 3: The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and Kashmir Chamber today deferred their proposed bandh call for June 4 after partial roll back in taxes by the Government and assurance by the Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu.
Both Chambers from Kashmir and Jammu also gave seven days’ ultimatum to the Government failing which, the apex bodies of the traders in Kashmir as well as in Jammu, will go for complete bandh in the State. The transporters have already given their support and joined the campaign for the bandh.
A Jammu Chamber spokesman said that an emergency meeting was convened at the Chamber House today to discuss the further course of action regarding the irrational imposition of Taxes proposed in the current budget by the State Finance Minister and the bandh call given by both the Chambers of Jammu and Kashmir for June 4. The meeting was attended by all representatives of major trade and transport associations.
President JCCI, Rakesh Gupta apprised the members about the roll back announced by the Finance Minister of additional taxes on readymade, hosiery, mobiles and aviation fuel for Choppers for Katra Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims and also listed the pending demands of the Chamber as submitted in the pre-budget meetings. All the heads of major trade and transport associations unanimously voiced their anger against the proposed Budget and authorized the Chamber to go ahead to get a complete roll back. The main concern of the members was the steep proposed hike of taxes on processed fruits and vegetables, cable and dish connections, increase in Toll Tax, multi-functional printers and devices, packed foods, stoll and shawls and walnut wood. The members observed that the genuine demands projected before the Finance Minister at the time of pre budget meeting were mostly not addressed.
It was decided that after the announcement of partial roll back and the meeting of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) with the Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu at 4.15 pm in Srinagar, who assured to reconsider the proposed budget, the Government be given a chance to re- consider roll back in toto and also re consider the demands made by the Chamber during pre budget meets. It was also decided that time bound ultimatum be given to the Finance Minister to discuss the issues with the Chambers of Kashmir and Jammu before finalizing the budget proposals.
It was finally decided by both Chambers that the call for bandh on June 4 (Saturday) be deferred. A 7- days’ ultimatum has been given to the Finance Minister to discuss the pending demands submitted during the pre budget and the fresh demands against the proposed hike in taxes and Toll Tax in the current budget proposal.
Prominent among JCCI office bearers and others present in the meeting included Sham Lal Langer, Deepak Aggarwal, Rahul Mahajan, Ashu Gupta and TS Wazir, Chairman Jammu & Kashmir Transporters Association.
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