Srinagar, Sep 25 : Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has brought significant relief to the people, and Kashmir holds a special place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Dr. Singh, as per Kashmir News Service (KNS), said the garment industry in Kashmir is among the sectors that have benefited from the tax system. “Tourists from across the world come here, and this industry is popular. GST has provided comfort to traders and buyers alike,” he said.
Dr. Singh referred to the practice of businesses offering festive season discounts and said that GST is itself an additional form of relief. “During Diwali, our businessmen usually give discounts. I told them this is a double discount — one from Prime Minister Modi and another from me. Some shopkeepers here have also given a 1 percent discount on their own,” he said.
He recalled that Prime Minister Modi chose to spend his first Diwali as Prime Minister with the victims of the 2014 floods in Kashmir instead of celebrating at home. “You must remember that when he became Prime Minister in 2014, there was a massive flood here within two or three months. Entire buildings were submerged, cars were floating, and water had reached the secretariat. That Diwali, instead of staying at his own home, he celebrated it among the flood victims,” Dr. Singh said.
He said the gesture reflected the Prime Minister’s concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “For the people of Kashmir, he has always given attention and priority. That is why, when GST is being celebrated across the country, it is natural to celebrate it in Kashmir as well,” he said.
According to the minister, the tax reform has benefited households in particular. “The common man will get relief, including in items like toiletries, kitchen utensils, and food products. There is a lot of comfort for housewives and sisters who run households,” he said.
Dr. Singh described GST as an important measure for youth and traders during the festival season. “In recent years, there has not been a better gift for the youth of India than this. The celebratory atmosphere is also visible in the valley today,” he said.(KNS).
