Arun Gupta President Chamber of Commerce & Industry yesterday addressed a Press Conference at Chamber House and while apprising the Media Persons Sh. Arun Gupta said that the government has imposed the property tax without consulting anybody and also without taking into confidence the business community and the general public. He also said that Chamber out rightly rejects/opposes the imposition the property tax w.e.f 01-04-2023. He 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 also said the government is taking the plea that the property tax is 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 property tax. But the government bypassed the local municipal corporations/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 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 property tax. Chamber is ready to talk on the table but no such communication has been received from the government.
We on behalf of the business community of the Jammu province announce one day peaceful Jammu Bandh on Saturday 11th March 2023 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 than we shall have no other alternative but to announce continuous shut down of business establishments.
Prominent among others present in the Press Conference include Sh. Happy Singh, President Yuva Rajput Sabha & his team, Sh. Anil Gupta, Sr. Vice President CCI, Sh. Rajeev Gupta, Jr. Vice President CCI,Sh. Rajesh Gupta, Secretary CCI, Sh. Sanjay Kumar, President Raghunath BAzar Businessmen Association, Sh. Ashish Gupta, General Secretary Kanak Mandi, Sh. Suraj Parkash, President BC Road, Sh. Ramesh Tak, President Bus Stand, Sh. Anil Gupta, Bahu Plaza, Sh. Surinder Mahajan, Puranimandi , Sh. Vishal Gupta, President Canal Road, Sh. Rajan Gupta, General Secretary, Bus stand, Sh. Ravinder Sawhney and others.
