JAMMU Jammu and Kashmir government Monday constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the director of Industries and Commerce Department, Jammu, to examine the state toll tax, an order issued by General Administration Department (GAD) read.
The committee, having three representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was directed to submit its report by March 1, the order said.
It added that the committee would examine the level of toll tax being levied on various products entering the state, production of those products within the state, export of locally produced products from the state and modification, if any, as may be needed in the levy of toll tax.
Additional commissioner, State Taxes Department (Administration and Enforcement, Kashmir), additional commissioner, State Taxes Department (Administration and Enforcement, Jammu) and representatives of the Directorate of Industries, Kashmir, would be other members of the committee, the order said.
“The committee shall submit its findings to the principal secretary of the Industries and Commerce Department by March 1,” it said.
Lobby groups of traders and industrialists have locked horns over the demand for removal of toll tax at Lakhanpur, which generates a revenue of over Rs 1,000 crore annually.
While the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has threatened to start an agitation if the governor’s administration failed to implement ‘one nation one tax’ by abolishing the toll plaza, the Federation of Industries Jammu (FOIJ) and the Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has said such a move would be a death knell for the local industry and demanded its continuation.
Re-constitute Committee: KCCI
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has requested governor Satya Pal Malik to re-constitute the committee to examine the state toll tax.
In a statement, KCCI spokesperson said the committee to examine the state toll tax pertains to the State of Jammu and Kashmir but the constitution of the Committee gives an impression that it is a region based committee only.
To examine a state level issue, Director Industries and Commerce Jammu has been nominated as Chairperson. To our understanding, the Chairperson of the Committee needs to be at least Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce having jurisdiction over the whole state, with both the respective Directors Industries (Jammu/Kashmir) as members, the spokesperson said adding that it is very surprising that the KCCI has not been given due representation in the Committee and they fail to comprehend as to who amongst the nominated members would be conveying the viewpoint of the industries from Kashmir Region.
He further said that the manner in which the Committee has been constituted is questionable and undermines the seriousness of the issue under examination.
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