Congress, BJP, Shiv Sena take initiative over the
The ongoing standoff between the state government and traders yesterday took a political twist as Congress MP Gurudas Kamat in separate representations to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Congress president Sonia Gandhi has requested to review the imposition of LBT in view of strong opposition from the trading community.
In his letter Kamat has said, “An urgent solution must be found where the municipal corporation does not get the required revenue without causing hardships and inspector rate which will only lead to further corruption”. Kamat is the second senior Congress leader after Minister of State for Shipping Milind Deora had taken an initiative to organise a meeting of agitating traders with Chavan last week. Besides, opposition BJP and Shiv Sena have supported traders demanding withdrawal of LBT.
Kamat’s move is crucial as a section of Congress party believes that if LBT remains in place, it will have an adverse impact on party’s prospects in the ensuing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. However, Chavan has made it clear that LBT, which has already been implemented in 24 municipal corporation areas in the State from April 1, except in the jurisdiction of municipal corporations of Greater Mumbai and Nashik, will not be withdrawn though some relaxation can be considered. Against this backdrop, Kamat has made the appeal.
The Congress’s coalition partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had already requested the CM to take into account the reservations expressed by traders on LBT implementation. On the other hand, the government has also started working on some of the demands of the traders. A committee comprising state chief secretary and secretaries of finance, planning and urban development has been formed to look into the issues raised by traders and also suggest how tax recovery can be made simpler.
‘Form committee to study LBT issue’
NCP on Tuesday demanded formation of a committee of ministers to study and address concerns raised by retail traders in the implementation of Local Body Tax (LBT).
A letter to this effect has been written by Dy CM Ajit Pawar and state NCP chief Madhukar Pichad to CM Prithviraj Chavan. A cabinet sub-committee should be set up to discuss the issue and look into the concerns of traders, party sources said. NCP feels that the business community by an large has contributed greatly towards the welfare and development of the state by way of taxes and levies, hence the government should hear out their grievances and try to resolve the matter amicably, they said.