Month: July 2017

Amid opposition, Assembly moves resolution on GST

Editor

For the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), the ruling PDP-BJP government today moved a resolution before the Legislative Assembly even as the opposition parties claimed it was non-admissible and it lacked clarity on constitutional safeguards for the fiscal autonomy of the state. The five-day special session of the Legislature, which started today, was convened to evolve a consensus over the extension of the GST to the state. Except J&K, the new tax regime was rolled out across the country on July 1. Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu moved…

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Alliance pushing state into chaos and confusion over delay in implementing GST: Congress

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Spokesperson, Ravinder Sharma today said that collation government is pushing state into chaos and confusion by deliberate delay over the implementation of GST regime. Taking a dig at BJP , Sharma also said that , “they should explain it own position over the unanimous cabinet decision of 14 th October, 2016 over the issue of GST in the State before blaming the opposition and other for the delay in its implementation”. Sharma also questioned the intention behind creating uncertainty, confusion and artificial contradiction…

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Ruckus in Assembly over Goods and Services Tax implementation

Editor

Opposition MLAs belonging to the National Conference (NC), the Congress and Independents stood up on their seats and later rushed towards the Speaker`s chair. Noisy scenes by the opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday forced the Speaker to adjourn the House twice as the lawmakers took up the discussion on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation. Opposition MLAs belonging to the National Conference (NC), the Congress and Independents stood up on their seats and later rushed towards the Speaker`s chair as the four-day long special session…

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Stand on Article 370 and GST is “Unambiguous and Clear”: Syed Ali Geelani

Editor

The faction of separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference defended its chairman Syed Ali Geelani today by saying that his stand on Article 370 and GST is “unambiguous and clear”. The separatist faction said, “They won’t budge an inch or compromise on the sacrifices laid for a sacred cause”. The Hurriyat faction was responding to a joint statement issued by senior leaders of the National Conference, who had accused Geelani of attempting to “bail out the PDP-BJP government” over the issue of extending the GST to the state. Geelani’s faction responded by…

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Strike on July 8, 13; Resistance group issues programme on Burhan anniversary

Editor

Joint Hurriyat Leadership comprised of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik Tuesday issued a protest calendar in connection with the first death anniversary of Commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. The leadership in a joint statement have called for complete shutdown on July 8 and July 13. As per the calendar, a rally will be held at Tral to pay homage to Burhan and all “martyrs” on July 8. Same type of rallies will be held at all district headquarters and elsewhere in the world where Kashmiris are…

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Assembly adjourned after opposition creates ruckus over GST implementation, Media Gag

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was on Tuesday adjourned for half-an-hour following protests by opposition over gag on media. Journalists boycotted the proceedings after they were barred by the government from taking their mobile phones and cameras inside the House. The order was later withdrawn. However, journalists returned to the House only after the Speaker Kavinder Gupta apologised and assured such gag wouldn’t be repeated. Opposition parties, including the main National Conference party, created a ruckus over the absence of media, as soon as the House reconvened today to discuss…

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Govt lifts gag on mobile phones, cameras after media-persons boycott Kashmir assembly

Editor

Moments after media-persons staged a walkout and decided to boycott the proceedings of Jammu and Kashmir assembly, the Jammu and Kashmir government issued an order, saying that the journalists could now carry their phones and cameras inside the House. “It has now been decided by the concerned authorities that the Journalists can carry Video/Still Cameras and Mobile Phones inside the Press Gallery of the Legislature for the coverage of the special session which recommenced here today on 4th July 2017,” said the order. Earlier, media-persons staged a walkout from the…

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Police foil anti-GST protest in Valley, KTMF president Yasin Khan and others detained

Editor

Police on Tuesday foiled a sit-in programme of the trade bodies outside the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly complex here by arresting several leaders and activists. The trade leaders were protesting outside the assembly while the House was being re-convened to debate implementation of the controversial GST bill. Scores of protesting trade leaders, including Showkat Chowdhary, Zahoor Tramboo and Faiz Bakshi, among others, were arrested by the police. Former chairman Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mubeen Shah was placed under house arrest earlier today, said a trade leader. Meanwhile,…

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Militant recruitment up in North, Central Kashmir: JK Police

Editor

In fact, militancy has seen a resurgence in some parts of south Kashmir where there wasn’t any militant presence for about a decade now. However, what has worried security agencies is a similar trend in north and central Kashmir. Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed concern at the rising number of local youths wanting to join militant ranks in north and central Kashmir, where previously the number of home-grown militants was low. While the focus of security grid is on south Kashmir, there have been umpteen attempts by…

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Valley’s Economy, Tourism sector struggle to stay afloat

Editor

The Dal Lake shimmers under the summer sun and the waves lap at the bank in a never-ending procession; a quintessential picture-postcard setting at one of Kashmir’s most iconic tourist destinations. But for Mohammad Amir, who takes tourists for rides on his shikara – a canopied paddle boat – this natural beauty has no meaning if there is no one to admire what Mughal emperor Jahangir once described as a “paradise”. Tourist inflow to the Valley has come down to a trickle after months of unrest in 2016, crippling one…

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