Narayanasamy demands revoking of VAT hike in Pondy

Union Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy, today demanded that the Puducherry government revoke the hike in Value Added Tax as the Union Territory was still recovering from the impact of cyclone Thane. "This is a step in the wrong direction and is adding insult to injury and hence the rise in tax should be revoked to avoid dislocation in reactivating business activities in cyclone ravaged Puducherry," he said. Narayanasamy also charged that the Union Territory administration had been slow in implementing relief and rehabilitation works in cyclone-hit areas. Restoration of power and water supply was yet to be completed in several places, he said. Narayanasamy, who said that the Centre would announce today evening an interim relief to the Union Territory to tackle the situation arising out of cyclone Thane, added however that the Centre should form a monitoring committee to ensure there was no misappropriation of money. "This had happened during the distribution of money sanctioned by the Centre under Tsunami Rehabilitation programme and that lapse should not recur now" he alleged.