Finance minister,. Abdul Rahim Rather, today announced that exemption of Value Added Tax (VAT) on domestic cooking gas from April this year will continue in future also to provide respite to the people.
He said the state exchequer had to bear the burden of Rs. 17 crore on this account during first seven months of the current fiscal, an official spokesman said.

Speaking at the quarterly review meeting of the commercial tax department, Kashmir division, Rather said that the states development is subservient to the tax collection adding that the commercial tax department should launch a vigorous campaign against tax defaulters and their abettors irrespective of their status and position. He said there are stringent laws to deal with defaulters with iron hand but they are provided one more opportunity to clear their arrears as early as possible before any action is initiated against them.

Rather also called for greater coordination between the J&K Bank, Accounts & Treasuries and Commercial Taxes departments to streamline tax realisation system adding that strict action would be taken against the defaulting officers for any lapses and negligence in the tax collection process.

The minister urged for making the tax collection system more people friendly so that tax payers do not feel any kind of inconvenience.

He instructed the commercial taxes officers to ascertain that money collected from tax payers is immediately deposited adding that there should be no unnecessary retention in this regard. He also called for pursuing the court cases vigorously to vacated stays on them.