Category: General News

General News

GST is the beginning, Bigger challenges ahead

Editor

MUCH more needs to be done after extension of the GST regime to Jammu and Kashmir. It is not an accomplishment in itself but a work in progress. The very fact that it took a week for the state to roll out the GST regime after the rest of the country did it on July 1, shows that there were many wrinkles to be ironed out. The Opposition has its own take on it and that will make matters fearsomely complex. It will have serious ramifications, if not handled properly.…

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Opposition ups ante against BJP’s ‘Surrender’ on GST Issue

Editor

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s appreciation for her ruling alliance partner, BJP, for “protecting special status” of J&K in the Presidential Order on GST has landed the saffron party in a piquant situation as it has always boasted about repealing of Article 370 for complete integration of the state with Indian state. The Opposition, too, have upped the ante against the BJP’s complete “surrender” before the Kashmiri leadership on the GST issue, saying “they stand exposed on rhetoric over Article 370 by compromising with its ideology”. The BJP, however, still considered…

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GST a step towards J&K’s complete integration with India: BJP

Editor

‘With changing times, you will realize what has been done’ Minutes after the Assembly passed the State-Goods and Service Tax bill to pave way for implementation of GST in the state, PDP’s ally BJP asserted the move was a “beginning of the process of complete integration” of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India. “We are extremely happy that GST has been implemented in the state on the birth anniversary of Shama Prasad Mukherjee,” BJP’s state president and MLA Sat Sharma told reporters outside the Assembly. “The GST is…

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GST rollout: Mehbooba Mufti calls it Golden day

Editor

Says state hasn’t disappointed people of country, hails Central support Describing it as a “golden day” in the history of the state Assembly, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today lauded the role of the BJP in supporting the coalition’s Agenda of Alliance as the state legislature passed the state goods and services tax (SGST) Bill here today. Addressing the Legislative Council on the conclusion of the special session after both Houses passed the SGST, the Chief Minister said: “The whole country was waiting for J&K’s decision (on the implementation of GST).…

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Army’s counter-terror offensive yielding good results; 92 hardcore terrorists killed till July

Editor

With the Narendra Modi government giving a free-hand to Indian Army, its counter-terror offensive has started yielding positive results. According to a ToI report, the forces involved in counter-terror operations have killed as many as 92 terrorists till July, this year. This is 13 more than 79 killed in the corresponding period of 2016, the report said. Interestingly, the number of terrorists eliminated by the security forces so far this year has surpassed the year-wise figures for 2012 and 2013 when Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre. In…

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War of words in Assembly over GST; Speaker expunges remarks

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday expunged the “intimidating and unparliamentary” words used by members during heated exchanges in the House over the last two days and directed the media not to report them. Gupta was ruling on a petition moved by opposition National Conference (NC) MLA Devender Rana, seeking an FIR against PDP minister Imran Ansari for his “intimidating” comments against him during a discussion on the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in the state yesterday. “It is my hand-folded request to…

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GST latest assault on special status: Joint Resistance Leadership

Editor

Kashmir’s joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik on Wednesday termed implementation of Goods and Service Tax regime in J&K as a “latest assault” on state’s special status. In a statement here, the leaders said the government is “punishing and harassing” the resilient people of Downtown by imposing restrictions and curbs there. It has become a regular feature of the “anti-Kashmir ruling regime” which keeps breaking its records of repression and revenge on people, they said. “The arm-twisting tactics of the authorities which…

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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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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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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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