Call for ban on tax and collection to be reflected in market prices
Dimapur, November 17 (MExN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland and the Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) today lauded the move by Department of Municipal Affairs, Government of Nagaland notification on “banning all forms of tax or fees collected on GST items” across the state by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
On November 16, Nagaland Government has notified that collection of any kind of taxes/fees on items/goods that comes under the Goods & Services Tax (GST) regime shall be immediately stopped by all the Municipal and Town Councils across the State.
“The CNCCI firmly believes that the removal of such tax and collection will help the business community and will benefit the consumers to a large extend,” the Confederation stated in a statement.
“A responsive government that understands the ground reality will definitely improve the business environment and that will lead to a better economic development of the state,” added the CNCCI in a statement issued by its Media Affairs.
It further noted that the CNCCI submitted its representation to Chief Secretary for immediate removal of ULBs tax/collection/fees on GST items failing which the CNCCI proposed to go for state wide business shutter down on September 16, 2021
Consequently, the Government under the Chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton on September 13 held a meeting and the decision to stop the tax/collection on GST items was arrived at which was officially intimated to the CNCCI on September 14, it informed.
The CNCCI also expressed gratitude to Deputy Chief Minister; Dr Nicky Kire, Advisor Urban Development; Chief Secretary; DGP; Addl. Chief Secretary; and Finance Commissioner; Principal Secretary Urban Development; Home Commissioner along with other senior officers.
Meanwhile, the CNCCI directed all the 12 District Chamber of Commerce and Industry to ensure that the ban on tax and collection should be reflected on the market and that immediate steps should be taken to ensure that the consumers benefit from the ban of tax and collection from GST items.
Until this Notification came into effect there was overlapping of taxes by ULBs on GST items which had no locus standi since the enactment of GST all over India in 2017, ACUAT stated in a press release via its Media Cell.
Noting this lacuna as one of the many reasons, Tia Longchar from ACAUT, Vekhosayi Nyekha from Public Action Committee (PAC) Dimapur and Akum Jamir from Business Association of Nagas(BAN) have filed a Public Interest Litigation which is pending before the Guwahati High Court, Kohima Bench, it informed.
In response to the notification, the ACAUT further appealed all business owners especially those dealing with GST items to proportionately bring down the prices during this festive season as a token of ceasing collections by all the local municipal bodies.
“This gesture will be a great relief to the general public stretched and strained by COVID-19 pandemic,” it added.
