The PDP-BJP coalition government abolished the water tax on farmers in 2015, therefore the Jammu and Kashmir government's plan to reinstate it has outraged residents of the union territory.
The Finance department has requested the J&K government's Irrigation and Flood Control department collect "Aabiyana," a water tax imposed on farmers throughout the union territory but abolished in 2015. This request was made in an order dated 22/06/2022.
The decision to remove the "symbol of feudalism" was announced in 2015 at the budget session by J&K's then Finance Minister, Dr. Haseeb Drabu, who said it would benefit all of the state's farmers.
Despite Drabu's declaration, the Finance Department claims that the PDP-BJP coalition government did not issue any official orders to remove the water tax.
"There will be challenges and accounting problems if the Abiyana is retrospectively waived with effect from 2015–16. Therefore, it was agreed that Abiyana would continue to be realized and would not be waived off," the command read.
Two official orders, one from the Director of Finance for PHE/Irrigation and Flood Control and the other from the Chief Engineer for Irrigation and Flood Control, however, indicate that the administration had approved of Drabu's declaration in the assembly.
"Aabiyana has been abolished by Budget Cabinet Decision 2015, and this decision applies to all future years as well as the 2015–16 fiscal year. However, the previous balance due on this account must be paid back as the budget statement makes no mention of its elimination or remission "On October 15, 2005, the then-Director of Finance issued an order.
News9 has a copy of another 2015 order from the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, which declares that the government would no longer charge farmers a water tax.
"Abiayana (water tax) will not be imposed on farmers in the future beginning in 2015-2016, however outstanding Abiyana up to March 31, 2015, is to be realized from farmers," it says.
The decision to reinstate the tax, which ranges from Rs 400 to Rs 1100 per acre depending on the type of crop being cultivated by the farmer, has upset the agricultural community in Jammu and Kashmir, a region whose economy is largely based on agriculture and horticulture industries.
"Abiayana (water tax) will not be imposed on farmers in the future beginning in 2015-2016, however outstanding Abiyana up to March 31, 2015, is to be realized from farmers," it says.
The decision to reinstate the tax, which ranges from Rs 400 to Rs 1100 per acre depending on the type of crop being cultivated by the farmer, has upset the agricultural community in Jammu and Kashmir, a region whose economy is largely based on agriculture and horticulture sectors.
"Why was the tax abolished in 2015 if it had to be reinstated? Farmers won't be able to pay it since it has grown into a large amount over the years. If the judgment is not overturned, we will protest since it is anti-farmers "J&K Kissan Tahreek's general secretary, Ghulam Nabi Malik, stated.
A farmer from Pulwama named Mohammad Akram claimed that the irrigation canals have been running dry in several areas of south Kashmir as a result of which they have not been receiving a consistent supply of water.
"Last year, the lack of water created major problems for our harvest. Due to the lack of water, many farmers were advised not to plant paddy this year as well. How would the government defend charging for water usage? "He asked.
Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, the chairman of the People's Democratic Front (PDF) and a former minister for J&K, criticized the government for reinstituting the tax, calling it an "anti-people" move "bereft of any reasoning."
"Tax collecting is not economically feasible since it takes a lot of manpower to raise a small amount of money. Poor farmers' backbones will be destroyed by the decision to reimpose the tax," Yaseen demanded that the government revoke the order.
At a time when the farmers of J&K are direly in need of relief and rehabilitation from the government on account of losses accrued due to weather vagaries, imposition of irrigation tax would be big cruelty to them, he added.
