SRINAGAR: The Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri and Commissioner SMC, Athar Aamir Khan along with senior officials from Srinagar Municipal Corporation on Saturday held a detailed meeting and discussion with the representatives of various trade federations to discuss the proposed property tax within Srinagar Municipal limits.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Kashmir Hoteliers Association, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industries, KCIF, KTMF, CCIK, Kashmir Economic Alliance and many other trade federations and civil society bodies attended the meeting.
Div Com and Commissioner SMC gave a detailed presentation to all stakeholders about the property tax. The process and method of property tax calculation was discussed with the members present.
It was impressed that the property tax adopted by J&K is a progressive model. The tax to be collected will go into the account of the local bodies only and will be used for the development of the respective city only. The Tax rates are among the lowest in the country, they informed.
The members present calculated the model test cases of commercial as well as residential properties.
The tax is to be paid annually not monthly and Residential properties up to 1000 sqft have been exempted from the tax so are the agricultural land and the religious places.
The tax slabs have been kept in a very progressive manner so that the distributive Justice is taken care of.
Meanwhile, the property tax will be effective from 1st April, 2023.
SRINAGAR: The traffic police department on Saturday informed that LMVs besides Passenger and Private cars shall be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Februay 26, subject to dry weather conditions and clearance of road.
As per the advisory issued by the traffic police headquarters, the heavy motor vehicles would be allowed to move towards Jammu from NAVYUG Tunnel (Qazigund side) after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44.
“TCU Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic,” the advisory reads.
The traffic advisory reads that the traffic movement on Jammu Srinagar highway will remain suspended on March 3 and 4 in view of the repairs and maintenance to be carried out between Nashri and NAVYUG Tunnel.
“The government has directed the NHAI to carry out repairs and maintenance on NH-44 between Nashri and NAVYUG Tunnel. Because of this necessary repair work, traffic will remain suspended from Nashri towards NAVYUG Tunnel and vice versa from 0600 hrs on 3rd March to 0600 hrs on 4th March 2023,” the spokesman said.
“Moreover, similar dry day on NH-44 will also be observed on March 10 of 2023,” the spokesman said
SRINAGAR: The traffic police department on Saturday informed that LMVs besides Passenger and Private cars shall be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Februay 26, subject to dry weather conditions and clearance of road.
As per the advisory issued by the traffic police headquarters, the heavy motor vehicles would be allowed to move towards Jammu from NAVYUG Tunnel (Qazigund side) after assessing the road and traffic situation on NH-44.
“TCU Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic,” the advisory reads.
The traffic advisory reads that the traffic movement on Jammu Srinagar highway will remain suspended on March 3 and 4 in view of the repairs and maintenance to be carried out between Nashri and NAVYUG Tunnel.
“The government has directed the NHAI to carry out repairs and maintenance on NH-44 between Nashri and NAVYUG Tunnel. Because of this necessary repair work, traffic will remain suspended from Nashri towards NAVYUG Tunnel and vice versa from 0600 hrs on 3rd March to 0600 hrs on 4th March 2023,” the spokesman said.
“Moreover, similar dry day on NH-44 will also be observed on March 10 of 2023,” the spokesman said
SRINAGAR: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday staged a protest march calling for the reversal of the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s decision to impose property tax in the Union Territory starting on April 1. The new tax rates will be 5% for residential properties and 6% for commercial properties.
Suhail Bukhari, the PDP’s chief spokesperson, and dozens of party members set out on a protest march from the PDP offices near Sher-e-Kashmir Park. The party activists shouted anti-property tax chants and called for its roll-back.
A police presence near the Traffic Headquarters prevented the protesters from continuing their march into the Lal Chowk city centre. They later turned back and dispersed.
Addressing to reporters, Bukhari claimed that the government was attempting to erode the Jammu and Kashmiri people’s purchasing power.
“First, our political freedoms were taken away; next, democracy was buried here; last, the homes of the poor were destroyed and they were subjected to harassment. The property tax is next. In the previous five years, Jammu and Kashmir’s economic position has gotten worse. The industrial sector here is weak, and there is no employment (creation),” he said.
As per the PDP’s chief spokesperson, the government should have held the people’s hands “but instead the BJP government is seeking to deepen the people’s concerns.”
He urged the government to roll back its decision.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police in Kulgam on Saturday claimed to have arrested five gamblers and seized stake money from their possession.
Acting on specific information about gambling activities in Sopat, a police party of Police Station Devsar raided the specific spot and arrested 05 gamblers on the spot, a police spokesman said in a statement issued to the news agency KNO.
They have been identified as Sabzar Ahmad Sheikh son of Bashir Ahmad Sheikh resident of YK Pora, Tariq Ahmad Khan son of Mohd Yousuf Khan resident of Shali Qazigund, Manzoor Ahmad Shah son of Mohd Rafiq Shah resident of Sursun, Batingoo, Wajood Ahmad Ganie son of Mohd Jabbar Ganie and Suhail Ahmad Ganie son of Mushtaq Ahmad Ganie, both residents of Banghall.
Officers have also seized stake money of Rs 11000, 05 mobile phones and playing cards from the gamblers. They have been shifted to a police station where they remain in custody, police said.
Accordingly, police said that a case under FIR number 13/2023 under relevant sections of law has been registered at Police Station Devsar and further investigation has been initiated.
Meanwhile, police said that persons found indulging in criminal activities shall be dealt with as per law. “Community members are requested to share information regarding the crimes in their neighbourhood with the local police units,” police said.
SRINAGAR: A leopard seen last week in Rawalpora area of Srinagar is yet to be trapped even as the Wildlife Department has permanently stationed its two teams in the area.
Quoting an official from the Wildlife Department supervising the operation of caging the wild animal, the news agency KNO reported that for the last 48 hours, they did not receive any evidence of sighting of the leopard in the area. “However, we have stationed our two teams there till the animal is trapped. Since last evening, we haven’t received any concrete evidence on the movement of the animal, but our teams are on the ground with active monitoring as cameras have also been installed” he said.
He said the teams will be monitoring the area round-the-clock and are fully equipped with all required gears.
“Rawalpora axis and its adjoining areas under a radius of 2-3 km are full of vegetation with thick bushes, and many plots and buildings are laying open which can prove a safe habitat for the wild animal. Sometimes it takes too long to capture, and in a few places, it took us months to cage the animal,” he said. “It is a scare created by a wild animal, not by any human whom we can warn, but we are on it; and as soon as we get to see its presence, our teams are swift and trained to capture it,” he added.
Urging the people to adhere to the advisory of the Wildlife Department, the official said the people should be careful, especially with the children, while venturing out during morning and evening hours
“We have already advised and sensitised the people in the areas and have also involved mohallah committees to keep the surroundings free of any bushes or any vegetation so that no animal takes shelter,” the official added.
SRINAGAR: Police on Saturday arrested five persons from Kashmir Valley and New Delhi along with five lakh Indian currency notes and 2.15 crore “low quality” currency notes near Kargil Colony Bathindi Jammu.
Quoting an official, GNS reported that the accused were arrested while they were moving in a Vehicle S-Cross (HR26CQ-8653) from Kargil Colony towards Bathindi morh.
“After proper search of the Vehicle Police Party recovered 05 lac Indian currency notes notes alongwith 03 cheque books and about 02.15 Crore low quality Indian currency notes from their possession,” the officer said.
In this regard, a case (FIR No 71/2023) under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation is going on.
Those arrested include Nazir Ahmed son of Mohammad Jabbar of Barzulla, Srinagar, Riyaz Ahmed son of Abdul Gani of Sheikhhar, Pulwama, Mohammad Naimullah son of Mohammad Zaheer-ul-Haq of Dwarka, Delhi, Manzoor Ahmed son of Ghulam Mohammad of Nishat, Srinagar and Basit son of Ghulam Hussain of Shopian.
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested 03 drug peddlers in Baramulla, Budgam and Kulgam districts & recovered huge quantity of contraband substances and cash from their possession.
In Baramulla, during the intervening night of 24th & 25th of February, Police received a specific information regarding presence of narcotic substance at house of one person namely Maqsood Ahmad Bhatti son of Bhag Ali resident of Madiyan Kamalkote Uri. On receipt of this information, a police party led by Incharge Police Post Kamalkote PSI Shri Shubham Seth under the overall supervision of SDPO Uri Shri Shokat Ali-JKPS, alongwith Executive Magistrate raided the said house.
During search of the house, cash amounting to Rupees Fourteen Lacs Seventy-Six Thousand & Eight Hundred Fifty (₹14,76,850/-) (believed to be proceeds of narcotic crime) and 850 grams of Brown Sugar like substance was recovered & seized in presence of Magistrate. The drug peddler has been arrested and shifted to Police Station where he remains in custody.
Meanwhile in Budgam, a police party of Police Station Chadoora at a checkpoint established at Chadoora near grid station intercepted a person who on seeing the police party tried to flee from the spot but was apprehended tactfully. He has been identified as Muhammad Iqbal Wani son of Noor Muhammad resident of Gamander, Chadoora. During search, 2 Kgs of semi grinded cannabis concealed in nylon bag was recovered from his possession. He has been shifted to police station where he remains in custody.
In Kulgam, acting on specific information regarding hoarding of narcotic substances by one person namely Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat son of Abdul Razzaq Bhat resident of Nowpora at his residential house. On receipt of this information, a Police Party led by In-charge Police Post Mirbazar raided the specific spot and recovered 20Kgs of poppy straw and 4kgs of grinded cannabis from the said house. The accused was arrested and shifted to police station where he remains in custody.
Accordingly, cases under relevant sections of law have been registered in respective police stations and investigation has been initiated.
SRINAGAR: In a landmark development Kashmir Angel Network (KAN) secured investment commitments for three startups who pitched their business ideas to a galaxy of investors today at a local hotel at Srinagar. The first of its kind investor-startup summit organised by KAN also marked the beginning of new era of Alternate Investment Funding available for homegrown business.
Kashmir Angel Network team with the start-ups and the investors at the networks maiden pitch session in Srinagar on February 25, 2023. KL Image by Shuaib Wani
Commenting on the the development, Shabir A Handoo, CEO KAN said today was a historical moment for the Startup ecosystem in Kashmir and with this beginning many a glass ceilings were breached.
The three startups who received undisclosed amount of funding from a number of local Angel Investors are from diverse sectors of the economy. One of the startups that received instant investment commitments, Cred Agro, is an agritech company that uses integrated agriculture systems for utilisation of fallow lands.
Another startup, Lieper Books, that generated a lot interest among the Angel investor community present in the event is a social media networking platform for book lovers. Another Startup, Kashmir Origin is an e-commerce platform with a B2B and B2C business model. The startup founders were upbeat about their pitches being well-received by the investors.
The year-old Kashmir Angel Network in its maiden pitch session managed investment in three Kashmir startup’s
KAN, a local network which hosted the maiden event is an initiative of a few professionals, working towards the creation of an enabling environment for Startups in Kashmir. The year old company aims to build a Network of Angel Investors who are willing to invest in early-stage businesses besides providing them mentorship and hand-holding support. CEO KAN in his opening remarks said that KAN has a vision to act as a multiplier in the efforts of the government in creating a thriving private sector in the region by way of mentoring, financing and incubating starups’. he said that such summits shall be regularly organised by KAN so that more and more startups get an opportunity to raise funds in their home turf.
Irtif Loan conducted the Pitch Session of the event and said that KAN is evolving as a platform where startups and investors meet, exchange ideas and create businesses. Commenting on today’s event said that the event is a first in the series of events planned by KAN to leverage resources, networks and Government-led initiatives to be a part of the growth story scripted by startups across.
In the pitch session the four startups from Kashmir region that presented their business ideas to the investors were Cred Agro, Lieper Books, and Kashmir Origin. Cred Agro is an agro-tech company using integrated agriculture systems for utilisation of fallow lands. Lieper Books is a social media networking platform for book lovers. Kashmir Origin is an e-commerce platform with a B2B and B2C business model. The pitches were well-received by the investors. The presentations generated a lot of interest and discussions around the strategies pitched by the startups. The higlight of the event was that all the three start ups pitched for investment got the investment committments right during the event.
SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) has expressed its opposition to the government’s decision to impose property tax in Jammu & Kashmir. In a recent meeting of the Executive Committee, the KCC&I stated that the sentiment of trade, commerce, and industry in the union territory is low, and people are not in a position to bear the burden of paying the property tax at this stage.
The KCC&I believes that Jammu & Kashmir has undergone a long spell of disturbed periods during which time businesses and citizens have suffered and depleted their assets and lifetime savings. While some sectors have shown signs of revival, it is not advisable to burden people with more taxes, especially considering the post-Covid economic scenario.
The KCC&I draw the attention of authorities to the global sentiment of revival and requests them to reconsider imposing property tax, at least until the economic scenario stabilizes. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir being a landlocked tier 3 state, cannot be compared justifiably with Delhi, Chandigarh, or other UT or states, the KCC&I added.
The KCC&I appeals to the administration to put the notified property tax on hold, and instead consult with stakeholders before making any decision. The KCC&I remind authorities that property tax was levied in the past but had to be withdrawn for obvious reasons.
