Ahmedabad: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the central government has taken an important decision with effect from 2nd October according to which no Income Tax notice will be served directly.Addressing a press conference here to highlight the achievements of Modi 2.0 government during first 100 days, Prasad said, ‘with effect from October 2, no IT notice will be served directly. The notices will first go to a centralized system for examination and scrutiny and then only move further. With this the unfettered discretion of Income Tax officers will not be there anymore.’

He said that that Earlier, IT officers themselves decided and send notices, but from October 2 onward notices will go to the centralized system first. It would be a digital platform.To another a query he said that his ministry was studying various aspects of Uniform Civil Code.

Prasad, who also holds the portfolios of Communications, Electronics and IT said that even though the GDP growth rate during last quarter had come down to 5.1%, the fundamentals of the Indian economy, still the fastest growing across the world, were very strong. The inflation, fiscal deficit etc were well under control while the Forex reserve and FDI along with tax base and collection have all seen a rise. The government has also taken pro-active measures like infusing funds for banking and housing sectors and merger of banks etc to improve the economy.

Talking about employment Prasad said that the draft report on the basis of which it was said that last year the unemployment rate in the country was highest in 45 years, was not correct and was somewhat biased. ‘Why did they not include the employment figures from EPFO data and other sectors. According to EPFO data from September 2017 to June 2019, at least 2.75 crore new jobs were created. The environment of disappointment should not be created. The country is changing, growing and developing. The government could not provide jobs to everybody but it was providing opportunities for all.

To another query he said that the provisions of the amended Motor Vehicle Act were in the interest of the people and the nation. ‘The number of deaths in road mishaps every year was more than that during terror incidents. Most of those killed in accidents were poor people,’ he claimed.

Talking about Kashmir he said that Pakistan and PM Imran Khan should look at the tyranny being committed by them on people of PoK, Gilgit and Balochistan. ‘They have no right to talk about Kashmir,’ he said.

He said that PM Modi and HM Amit Shah should be congratulated for abrogating article 370 and 35A from Kashmir which was a historic, courageous and far reaching step. After that countries like UAE and Bahrain have honoured Modi ji with their highest civilian honours.

‘Those who were opposing 370 could not utter even a word about its benefits to Kashmir. Because of it various acts including prevention of corruption, child marriage, manual scavenging etc and the ones regarding right to information and education were not in force in the state. Reservation to tribal and OBC people was not there. Those opposing the abrogation were terming it a bridge between India and Kashmir but what kind of a bridge was it that gave rise to corruption, separatism and terrorism.

He said that on Kashmir Nehru was wrong while Sardar Patel was correct. The Modi government has now corrected the blunder committed by Nehru.

Prasad said that after the abrogation of article 370, not even a single bullet has been fired there, Curfew under section 144 has been lifted from all other places apart from 14 police station areas. He also pointed out that recently during the army recruitment drive in Muslim dominant Chenab and Pir Panjal areas in Kashmir as many as 29 thousand applications were received.

Prasad said that the HM had made it clear that land of Kashmiri people would not be taken and the factories etc., would be set up on the government land only. The union territory status of Kashmir was also temporary.

The Law and Justice Minister also mentioned the passage of Triple Talaq Bill as one of the important achievements of his government. He said that the government has also decided to set up 1023 fast track courts across the country of which 35 would be in Gujarat, for speedy trial of cases under Pocso Act and other rape cases.

He said that the government has also taken several steps for the betterment of small traders, farmers and workers of unorganized sector.Prasad also said that the government has taken a big step by making provisions for declaration of Individuals as terrorists. ‘Due to this those sitting in Pakistan could be booked and won’t be allowed to escape by making other outfits on one of their earlier outfit’s being categorized as terror linked,’ he said.

He also named the Chandrayan mission, repealing of 1500 obsolete laws of which 58 were repealed in last 100 days, Ayushman Bharat health scheme as other achievements of the Modi government.