Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 24: Slamming PDP-BJP dispensation for failing in rolling out a viable blue-print with regard to safeguarding constitutional, economic and administrative interests of Jammu and Kashmir before implementing proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST), National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana today regretted that a chaotic like situation is being created by the ruling dispensation by misleading public opinion through canards sans logic and public interest.
“The present dispensation is aware that no such safeguards have been incorporated in the new tax regime but due to political expediency it is shying away from admitting it in the public domain and wants to create a crisis like situation by delaying the process of rolling out the GST in the State without any safeguards which is a commitment made by the Government in a bid to save their own chair by sacrificing the interests of trade and industry”, Rana said while interacting with delegations of various Industries Associations from Bari Brahmna, Kathua, Birpur, Samba and Gangyal here this evening.
Prominent among those present in the meeting included Lalit Mahajan, President Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Suresh Mahajan, Sr. Vice President Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Vivek Singla, Secretary Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Sandeep Mittal, General Secretary Kathua Industrial Association, Romesh Badyal, President Birpur Industrial Association, Seerat Gupta Executive committee member Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, CL Raina, Executive Committee Member Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Vijay Sharma, Secretary Gangyal Industrial Association, Ritesh Mahajan, General Secretary Samba Industrial Association and Treasurer Gangyal Industrial Association.
“The State Government is making promises to the various trade and industry bodies but does not divulge the road-map to safeguard their interests because the intent of the present dispensation is not clear and sincere”, he said, adding that an attempt is being made to hoodwink stakeholders. He lamented over the covert and overt attempts of the Government to generate passions by bringing the three regions eyeball to eyeball situation, without realising the ramifications.
Rana made a passionate appeal to all the stakeholders to rise above own interests and work together to roll out the GST in Jammu and Kashmir without compromising the State’s constitutional, economic and administrative interests. He said there are many models worldwide known to the present Government wherein the GST can be introduced with adequate safeguards to protect the interests of the people.
He said that despite assurance in presence of the Chief Minister, the political parties are yet to get any proposal or supporting documents on the implementation of GST keeping in view the fiscal autonomy of the State so that some decision could be arrived at. He said the Government is ignoring the three pivotal components of constitutional, administrative and economic significance while rushing to implement the GST that can have serious ramifications in days to come.
He cautioned the coalition against going ahead with the implementation of GST by ignoring the sensitivities involved in the backdrop of the special status of the State and without doing any homework, generating awareness and, above all, taking all segments of society including the marginal traders into confidence. He said that taxes on goods and services are a serious matter and suitable checks and balances were needed to be taken before switching over to new regime.
Devender Singh Rana hoped that the State Government will come with a clear policy on the implementation of GST regime keeping in view the interests of traders, industrialists and consumers, apart from the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
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