Srinagar, Oct 09 (KNS): National Conference senior leader Devender Singh RanaFriday asked the government to clear its stand on the issue of exemption of service tax on helicopter service from Katra to Vaishno Devi shrine.
Rana was reacting to the statement made by the Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu in the Lower House today during the Zero Hour that the government has no proposal to exempt the helicopter service from imposition of 12.5 % commercial tax.
“There is no proposal to exempt the helicopter service from Katra to Vaishno Devi shrine from the service tax imposed on commercial chopper services in the state,” Drabu said in reply to Rana’s question.
However, Rana, who is the legislator from Nagrota in Jammu province, said that the government is contradicting itself on the tax exemption issue.
“During the District Board meeting in Jammu, I raised the same issue before the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, and two other BJP ministers. They all assured me that the tax imposition decision will be withdrawn. Even the BJP leaders said in public (to media) that the decision will be withdrawn,” Rana told KNS.
"But, today Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu said that the government has no such proposal to withdraw the tax. So, I asked the government to clarify their contradiction in their stand,” said Rana. The NC leader said that the government is misleading the people. (KNS)