Development will help fulfil J&K’s people aspirations, says Sitharaman

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that Jammu & Kashmir has tremendous potential for development that can fulfil the aspirations of its people –a priority for the Narendra Modi administration.
Speaking at the inauguration of the rebuilt income tax official and residential complex called ‘The Chinars’ in Srinagar, Sitharaman said that the state has immense potential for hydroelectric power generation, which if utilized fully, could help meet the region’s developmental goals.

Sitharaman’s address at the inauguration of the income tax department’s complex—the previous building could not survive a terror attack in 2005—also sought to explain to the people how the government spends direct and indirect tax collected from people on development of the state and the nation. The minister explained that income disparity can only be addressed through development. In the case of Jammu & Kashmir, development has been bare minimum in the past despite the region’s potential, the minister said.

In 2019, the central government revoked the special status of Jammu & Kashmir, reorganised it into two territories under central control—J&K and Ladakh. The new income tax office of the Principal Commissioner in Srinagar, elevated from a previous range office, has jurisdiction over the two union territories.

The minister said that more than tax collection per se, what was important for both the direct and indirect tax administrations was the engagement with the people and to let them know that every penny contributed to the exchequer goes to the development of the state and the country. That is especially so in the case of indirect taxation which covers ordinary persons’ purchase of essential items.

“That shall continue to be the accent of both the Boards (Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) under PM Modi’s leadership,” Sitharaman said. She added that earlier as a chief minister and now as the Prime Minister, Modi places great emphasis that income disparity can be bridged only through development.

“For a state like J&K, development has been something in the wings for some time. It has never happened,” Sitharaman said, adding that some pockets of development are there but not overall development at a consistent pace.

The potential of hydroelectric power generation in J&K is 20,000 MWs, she said. “Imagine what a state that can produce that kind of power, do for itself. If you can produce that much, you can sell it to the rest of the country and with that money do a lot more for our own people. However, that capacity has never been fully exploited. As a result, the potential exists but power generation not coming up over the years has denied J&K its own developmental goals, the minister said. Without basic electricity supply, development in J&K has always been at its bare minimum, despite its potential, the minister said.

“So, PM’s goal or guiding principle Sab ka Sath, Sath ka Vikas, Sab ka Vishwas and Sab ka Prayas, you have all the prayas, you have all the Vishwas, but when you don’t have required endorsements for it, development is not going to be achieved as much as we want”, the Finance Minister said.

“That is where it is important of J&K post abrogation 370 to get which is being denied to the common Kashmiri’s citizen the facilities, development and therefore makes it all aspirations come true. There is no point if it is kept small oligarchy of people or holding all every resource and denying every citizen when democracy is allowed at all place”, she added.

“The people want to grow, their aspirations are there to be realized. That is nothing unusual for a common citizen. Every citizen has to be given space and that is what is being given post abrogation Article 370. And in that we cannot afford to have any delay”, she added.

During the function, the Finance Minister also announced GST items that a concessional rate in Jammu and Kashmir which are unique. Products include carved wood products, art ware, decorative articles of wood barrel. It also includes Wooden frames for paintings, photographs, mirrors and other products.

Also, statues and ornaments of wood and jewellery boxes are given discounted rates. “Articles of the paper machine also have a discounted rate of GST. Handmade carpets, textiles, floor coverings also get a concessional rate. Hand paintings, drawings, including Bhasoli paintings also get a good GST rate,” she said.
The finance minister further announced that over 21 projects have been completed post abrogation of Article 370 under the Pradhan Mantri Development Programme.

“Some of the programme that has completed include Batote-Kishtwar Sinthan Pass road, Jammu-Udhampur Road, Chenani Nashri tunnel, Intervention subvention scheme implemented, externally aided projects J&K undertaken, assistant for damaged houses also given PMDP, assistant to PoK have also been completed under PMDP, Jammu migrants, Srinagar Banihal road, Qazigund Banihal tunnel, permanent restoration of some trusts, 5 IRP battalion, Jehlum Phase-1, Swaccha Bharat Abhiyaan, solar off-grid system, Special Repairs to roads, buildings and within BB Cantt Kalai Bridge on River Poonch, Uri-LOC road and other projects”, she added.
Further, she said, “Over the year 40, 000 people have been killed due to terrorism. The land which is otherwise peaceful and beautiful had spent some many years in this heart-crushing tragic phase of development.”
“However, post abrogation of Article 370 delimitation commission has been constituted, DDC polls have shown that people are looking forward to aspiration meeting for their dreams”, she added.

Therefore, I want to tell you in the context of dedicating the building that more significant issue of coming here was to reach every person in Jammu and Kashmir, giving his due or heard due to the person the development which has been denied in last 70 years shall be reaching everyone, the Finance Minister said.

“It is now for all of us to work together to serve the people of Kashmir to make sure development reaches them. Information on collecting legitimate tax is reached to them also a transparent way in which we can explain how money is used for development”, the Finance Minister said.

She also inaugurated development projects worth Rs.165 crore in Jammu and Kashmir.
These include Jhelum and Tawi flood recovery projects, officials said.

The Union minister inaugurated work pertaining to health, education, urban infrastructure and disaster management — amounting to Rs.130.49 crore, an official spokesman said.

He said the minister also laid foundation stone for UT-level emergency operation centre and SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) control building at Budgam — amounting to Rs.34.88 crore under the Jhelum and Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP).

The spokesman said the sub-projects are part of the JTFRP which is assisted by a credit of USD 250 million from the World Bank.

The project was started in J-K in the aftermath of the devastating floods of September 2014 which severely affected low lying areas of Anantnag, Srinagar and adjoining districts, causing immense damage to housing, livelihood, and roads and bridges.

The project aims at both restoring essential services disrupted by the floods and improving the design standard and practices to increase resilience, the spokesman said.

He said the high social impact of JTFRP was felt in the COVID-19 pandemic response by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, wherein an amount of USD 50 million was allocated and utilized by activating the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) under the project.

Medical equipment worth Rs.290 crore and 30 oxygen generating plants at a total cost of Rs.75 crore were procured, thereby, giving a boost to the health infrastructure to cope with the challenges posed by the pandemic, he said.

In a significant step towards self-reliance of artisans of the Union territory, many artisan clusters were developed under this project with an objective of reviving the traditional crafts and providing gainful employment opportunities to youth, the spokesman added.