JAMMU: Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer today discussed issues being faced by the traders and industries in Jammu division here at a meeting with their union representatives. The meeting was attended by Director Industries and Commerce, Additional Commissioner State Taxes, ADC Jammu, Transport Commissioner, Joint Director Tourism, Secretary JDA, besides senior officers of JMC, Banks and President Chamber of Commerce Jammu, Presidents of Hotel Association, Traders Federation, Dhaba Association, Transporters and other concerned.
The union members expressed gratitude to the administration for completely unlocking Jammu and restoring normal business activity. During the meeting all the representatives of the unions highlighted the issues and problems being faced by them during ongoing pandemic. JCCI president demanded waiving off traders rent in view of slowdown in business activity due to corona curfew. He appealed Jammu Development Authority, JMC, J&K Housing Board to take a considerate view and let go off last two month’s rent of shops and other business establishments given on lease to the trader community in various markets and malls in the region during the lockdown period. Transporters demanded a package for the transport industry including waiving of the passenger tax, token tax and interests on the loans etc in view of the restrictions including plying of public transport with 50% capacity. The Hotel Association apprised the Div Com that due to low key tourism activities, Hotel/ restaurants were badly affected. They demanded that the hotels and restaurants should be allowed to function atleast with 50% capacity up to 10 PM and increase the number of guests’ capacity at the Banquet hall up to 100.
They demanded concessions in water and power bills. They also apprised the Div Com about issues of renewal of NOCs of Fire audit, Pollution etc. Various associations also demanded moratorium on the repayment of loans taken from the banks by various category of traders and their restructuring. Demands of one time settlement, interest waiver etc also were highlighted in the meeting which were responded to by the officials of RBI and representatives of various banks especially JKB, SBI, PNB etc. The members of various industries and trader federations raised the issue of extension of dates for the filing of GST returns, pending reimbursements by the State Taxes Dept & SGST refunds.
The Additional Commissioner (Taxes) assured all permissible relief as per norms; on behalf of the Divisional Administration. Director Industries, Jammu also explained various aspects of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package and other tax incentives/impetus being provided to the MSME sector and exhorted the traders to take maximum benefit of the same. The Div Com gave patient hearing to all the issues/demands raised by the associations and assured them that all their genuine demands would be taken into consideration and taken up with the government for timely redress.
The Div Com also instructed the officers of the concerned departments to take note of all the demands pertaining to their respective department for early redress. The officers of concerned departments also gave a brief account of the schemes and actions which have been taken by their respective departments to redress the issues.
