JCCI calls for Jammu bandh on March 11
*Cong, PDAP, Shiv Sena, others support
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 9: The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) today gave Jammu bandh call on March 11 (Saturday), in protest against the decision of the J&K UT Government to impose Property Tax on people from April Ist, 2023.
Addressing a press conference, represented by heads of various trade organizations and Bazaar Associations, besides Yuva Rajpur Sabha and other social organizations, at Chamber House here today, JCCI president Arun Gupta said that not only trade bodies or opposition political parties, the people of entire J&K UT are strongly opposing the decision of the LG’s Administration to impose Property Tax in J&K. This is totally anti-people decision of the J&K Government and Jammu Chamber strongly opposes such a move of the Government, Gupta said.
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Referring to the pleas of the Chamber to the Lt Governor and the Union Government against this decision, Arun Gupta said that Chamber never favoured confrontational path. The Chamber tried to convince the Government through communications but there seems to be negligible response so far over this issue. He said Chamber has been leading the cause of Jammu people and has support from various organizations and stake holders.
Gupta said that presently the government has no land policy so that the people of J&K can get the ownership rights/lease rights. The people of Jammu are much disturbed due to non- cooperative attitude of the government and instead of giving any relief to the people government has imposed property tax which actually is the prerogative of the elected Government/Municipal Corporation and Local Bodies.
He pointed out that UT Administration is taking the plea that the Property Tax has been imposed all over the country and in Jammu due to the policy of Neeti Udyog the grant provided to the Municipal Corporations and Local Bodies cannot be released unless and until the Property Tax is imposed in J&K. We are of the view that this is the prerogative of the elected government and elected members of the Municipal Corporation/Local Bodies to impose such type of tax.
But this Government bypassed the MCs / Local Bodies and issued the notification SRO-87 regarding imposition of Property Tax in J&K. The comparison between Jammu and Chandigarh cannot be justified as Chandigarh is a fully developed UT whereas Jammu is under developed UT. Moreover, as per the statements and hoardings of the government that government is imposing meager tax whereas, the Property Tax structure is a big jolt for the business community. Even the hoardings and the statements it is said that only Rs 500, 1000 and 2000 tax will be imposed whereas actually if we calculate the tax structure imposed on commercial areas, it is too high and even the shops which are not operational and the buildings which are not under working conditions are also liable to pay tax.
“We on behalf of the business community of the Jammu province announce one day peaceful Jammu Bandh on Saturday (March 11) to press the government to rescind the order of imposing the Property Tax and if the government fails to understand the feeling of the Jammu people then we shall have no other alternative but to announce continuous shut down of business establishments,” Gupta declared.
Prominent among others present in the conference included Happy Singh, president Yuva Rajput Sabha, Anil Gupta, senior vice president CCI, Rajeev Gupta junior vice president CCI, Rajesh Gupta- secretary, Sanjay Kumar- president Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association, Ashish Gupta, general secretary Kanak Mandi Market Association, Suraj Parkash, President BC Road, Ramesh Tak, president Bus Stand Market Association, Anil Gupta- Bahu Plaza, Surinder Mahajan- Puranimandi Association, Vishal Gupta – Canal Road Market Association and others.
Meanwhile, various organizations including Congress, DPAP, Shiv Sena, Muslim Front, United Democratic Alliance, Mission Statehood J&K and many social, trade and youth organizations have supported Jammu bandh call on Saturday.
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