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According
to the wholesalers, while on one hand value added tax
(VAT) on pulses has not been reduced from 4% to 1% as
promised by the CM, on the other he has deprived the state
coffers of much needed revenue by not imposing 1% VAT on
besan, although the manufacturers and even the traders
have expressed their willingness to pick the tab.
A
special deputation of Beopar Mandal had met the Chief
Minister about one and a half years ago and the CM had
reportedly agreed to both these demands in November last
year. However till date, no notification has been issued
on any of the issues, rue the mandal members.
Mohinder
Aggarwal, general secretary of Beopar Mandal, Ludhiana
branch, said, “There is no VAT on pulses in the
neighbouring states of Punjab and this way, already Punjab
is loosing crores of revenue because the traders bring the
product from Delhi or other states to avoid 4% VAT. Still,
our members agreed to pay 1% tax, but it has not been
notified till date. We had reminded the CM about the
matter in the sangat darshan held in the city as well, but
with no result.”
Further,
the members said that as besan was tax free, the bills of
pulses, which were purchased from the outside states, come
in flour mills’ names and later they show in papers that
they had converted pulses into besan and hence are not
liable to pay any tax.
Aggarwal
said, “This way excise department is losing tax worth
crores. As the CM heads the excise department, he should
show some urgency in fixing the problem. Already a year
has been lost.”
Source
: Ludhiana Newsline - Ludhiana, India, dated
14/11/2008
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