DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 19 (MExN): The Public Action Committee (PAC) of the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) today wrote to the State Chief Secretary and reiterated its opposition to the lease system of toll collection in Dimapur.
In its letter, the PAC posed a series of questions to the Chief Secretary for the State Government to ponder on, act upon and rectify.
It questioned under what act, provision and clause is the Municipal Affairs authority authorized to collect toll/utility fees, and to substantiate the need for such fees even after the implementation of GST.
“Is the state not receiving the share levied/taxed on merchants? Why double tax merchants in Nagaland?” the PAC further asked. The PAC meanwhile suggested that if the state desires to levy fees and royalty by legislation, it should be implemented digitally.
Further, the PAC asked whether minor minerals coming to Nagaland from other states are taxable as royalty and sought justification on the matter from the Forest and Geology & Mining departments.
It also questioned whether the Nagaland Municipal Act 2010, framed before the GST was implemented, is redundant and obsolescent today.
The committee said that if at all further legislation legalizes the lease system the same should be made public, giving an opportunity for all interested parties to participate.
The PAC meanwhile pointed out certain effects of the lease system, which it detected during the committee’s ‘Operation Check Gate.’
The committee found that leasees have the tendency to re-lease the toll collection jobs to other sub contractors. The system also encourages illegal collection as “they are given a free hand,” the PCA said.
“Collection booths become information and identification booths to anti-social elements.,” it added, as inflated fees are collected randomly without fear of authority, and there is no transparency or accountability.
It further stated that the system gives birth to syndication and monopoly thus preventing the operation of a free market.
Coming to the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC), the PAC claimed that that the State Government has appointed “300+ DMC employees without any job.”
“Is Municipal Affairs applying lease system as an arrangement to pay salaries to these questionable employees?” the PAC questioned. It stressed that the department has no right to collect money to pay government employees at the expense of the public.
