Come up with an agenda over GST: Targami to Govt

Srinagar: Stating that implementation of Goods and Service Taxes (GST) is aimed to collect therevenue from ordinary people, CPI (M) senior leader and MLA Kulgam; Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami on Fridaysaid that the state government must come up with an agenda over the GST.
Tarigami told KNS that the convening of all party meetings and debate in assembly over GST is good but the government must come up with an agenda over it.
He said that he would suggest the govt to come up with an agenda over the GST. “Where does the government stand what do they want us to debate. Once they clear the image over it then only our debate will become productive,” he said while terming it as a very sensitive issue.
“It is too late to convene meeting and hold debates over it as the GST issue was raised in the year 2016 but the state government maintained silence over it. I believe GST implementation will be gross encroachment on fiscal autonomy of JK, which it is enjoying,” he said, adding that in the past assembly sessions, the government should have discussed this matter.
“I just want to remind my friends in opposition and in the government that there is clause 5th, which says JK has a special power and that makes it different from other states. We can make our own laws, we have fiscal and political autonomy thereby within that frame, we can implement any tax law of our own,” he added.
“My question is that there were very crucial constitutional amendments earlier regarding local bodies and Panchayati Raj system but they were not applied here due to the resistance,” he said.
Lashing out at Prime Minister, Narendra Modi led government in the centre, Tarigami said that the government has shown leniency towards the top-notch businessmen.
He said that implementing the GST now is aimed to collect the revenue from the small businessmen.
“There are two types of taxes including direct and indirect, the PM Modi led government via GST is trying to collect the revenue from ordinary people while it has showered concession after concession on corporate sections,” he said.
He said that the Finance Minister of India has claimed that GDP will rise but unfortunately the claims falls flat as it is flashing down. “The jobs assured by the government have also been reduced so far,” he said, adding that they are trying to hoodwink people and claims of creating every heaven for people is a cruel joke. (KNS)