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Budget Impact: non-commercial vehicles not to pay toll at Lakhanpur
Zafar Bhat. Dated: 1/13/2018 11:14:10 AM
ZAFAR BHAT Jammu, Jan 12 Categorically, putting additional burden on consumers, the J&K Government has increased the toll slab on commodities by 25 per cent in the state Budget 2018- 19, presented by Finance M i n i s t e r Haseeb Drabu on Thursday. However, the Finance Minster has, however, abolished the toll for noncommercial vehicles at Lakhanpur and Lower Munda — the gateway of Jammu and the Kashmir Valley, respectively. It has also abolished the toll on 12 specific items. Notably, there has been a lot of debate in the state, particularly among the trade and business community, regarding the continuance of the toll as it defies the basic theory of the GST i.e. ‘One Nation, One Tax’. Whereas, Drabu said, “The imposition of toll is well within the legislative competence of the state government and while the entry tax and octroi have been subsumed in the GST, the toll has been kept outside its scope There are many states in the country, which continue to levy toll outside the framework of the GST. I hope this clarification will finally help in laying all questions surrounding the issue at rest,”.
Budget 2018-19, at the same time, I am also obliged to take adequate measures to protect the local industry from the onslaught of the competing demands from outside the state. To protect the local industry and encourage manufacturers, I have decided to raise the toll from the existing slab of Rs 80 per quintal to Rs 100 per quintal. I also propose to include wheat bran in the slab.
Amid this, he said after careful consideration, it had been decided to do away with toll on vegetables, medicines, sugar, salt, tea, soaps/detergents, sanitary items, water coconut, wheat seeds, tree spray oil, newsprint, jaggery (gur) and all fruit products produced in the state. On all other products manufactured by the local industry, the toll will continue to be levied, Drabu added.
Pertinently, extending relief to commuters and tourists visiting the state on their own vehicles, the government has proposed the abolition of the basic toll on all non-commercial and private light motor vehicles. Earlier, a toll of Rs 80 per light motor vehicle was being charged at the entry and exit of Lower Munda and Lakhanpur.