Srinagar
Minister for Public Works Department and government spokesperson Naeem Akhtar on Saturday said that government will not impose any decision on the people of Jammu and Kashmir against their will. He was referring to the implementation of GST in the state.
Addressing a hurriedly called presser at his office chamber in the civil secretariat, Akhtar said that the government had said that it will go to the assembly and discuss as to how state has to go viz-a-viz implementation of GST.
Govt spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar in this KL File Photo
He said, “Despite that there was opposition by the traders, opposition and other stake holders.”
He said although the government believes that the GST is good, it is a reform, however, “We won’t impose anything on people against their will.”
The government spokesperson said “we should not rush”. “It has taken 12 years to the union government to come up with the bill on GST, therefore we should not be in a rush to implement it.” However, he added that those states which will not join the GST regime will have to pay double taxes.
He said a panel will be made and all the stakeholders will be taken on board.
“For further deliberations on GST, government has formed an all-party panel. The government has kept in mind as how the special status will be safeguarded. PDP as well as BJP are committed to the special status as has been agreed in the Agenda of Alliance (AoA,” he said.
Meanwhile, Akhtar welcomed the statement of resistance leadership on the extension of central Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The joint resistance leadership termed it a plan “to cripple the economy“. “The law is aimed to target the Kashmiri businessmen,” they said.
“We welcome the statement of separatists (on GST),” Akhtar said. “These are the issues they should talk about,” he added.
