Jammu Kashmir Association of Haj & Umrah Companies (JKAHUC) and J&K Association of Private Tour Operators held a meeting on Friday at Sangarmal City Centre, Srinagar to discuss implications of GST on Haj & Umrah Pilgrimage.

According to the statement issued here, the tour body said that under erstwhile General Sales Tax of J&K, the Travel Trade was exempt from the Service Tax but under new GST the Travel Trade, Haj and Umrah Pilgrimage attracts 5 % Service Tax.

“Both the associations resolved unanimously that Public in general and the Haj and Umrah pilgrims in particular shall be made aware about application of 5 % Services Tax and this amount shall be charged from the Intending Pilgrims,” they said.

It was further resolved that the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Minority Affairs, Haj, Government of India shall be approached and requested to exempt Travel Trade, Haj and Umrah pilgrimage from the purview of Service Tax, as was before application of GST.

In that event, the amount charged from the pilgrims shall be refunded to them. “In case an intending pilgrim declines to pay the 5 per cent services Tax, his Haj or Umrah Travel shall be cancelled and refund of the amount deposited made as per Cancellation Policy,” they said.

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