The Tax people want tax for the goods that stands paid at the first point. Some time they even say Valley is paying less tax, knowing that the most of the goods come into the valley from Jammu. Also it is not possible to add the value on the goods purchased within the state to the extent that can raise a substantive amount of tax.
Such mindset of the government is not going to help the trade of the Valley where even survival of the business establishments is sure. Whatever is now left is being consumed by strikes provoked by the situation which is getting often out of hands with its negative impact on trade activities that leaves traders high and dry. The establishments of the traders are in real sense becoming a liability.
It is a hard fact that small traders in the Valley are facing difficulties in running their establishments due to lower volumes of turnover and diminishing revenues. This cycle of micro economic down turn is continuing for quite some time and hence eating up the capital of every establishment.
It is felt that the Govt. should at least declare VAT holiday for two years and other packages that would revitalise the trading activities of the Valley.
Fayaz Ahmad Ahanger, the promoter of the Alfa Sanitation is a senior office bearer of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Srinagar.
