Srinagar,August 06(Scoop News) –
Commissioner Commercial Taxes Kifayat Rizvi, President KHAROF, Faiz Bakashi, President KHARA, Showkat Chowdhary and other office bearers of both the associations were present in the meeting.
While responding to different queries of delegates, Rather said all the stakeholders will be taken into confidence before introducing proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in the state, for which state will make its own comprehensive law. He said different models in vogue in other countries of the world will also be studied for the purpose. He said a massive awareness campaign about GST will also be launched in nook and corner of the state to address concerns of the trader’s and business communities.
Mr Rather said that state has received a good number of tourists this year and a need was felt to raise additional hotel accommodation to cope up with the tourist rush. He asked the hoteliers and people related to the tourism industry to take full benefit of the package of incentives being provided by the government for promotion of tourism. He also called for preserving ecology and environment, which, he said, was imperative to conserve the pristine beauty of the state, for which it is known world over.
The main demands put-forth by the delegations included reduction in the rate of VAT, Enactment of Goods and Services Tax (GST), modifications in rules for implementing the package of incentives for tourism industry and Entry Tax. They also sought benefits at par with small scale industries.
Rather heard the demands patiently and assured that concerns expressed by the association presidents in their memorandum of demands would be addressed on their merit. He instructed the Commissioner Commercial Taxes to examine the sales tax problem of Estates Hired Hotels.
The delegates expressed their gratitude to the Finance Minister for earmarking about Rs 30 crore as package of incentive for promotion of tourism in the current year’s Budget.
Speaking to a joint delegation of Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA) and Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF) here today, Rather said tourism is a major revenue earner to the government and no stone will be left unturned promotion of this sector on modern lines.
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