CICU Appeals CM Punjab to Rollback Levy on Power Tariff and Cess on Petrol & Dieselc
Author(s): City Air NewsLudhiana, May 23, 2015: Mr Avtar Singh, President Chamber of Industrial and Commercial organizations (CICU) Ludhiana in a statement released today has condemned levy of 5% tax on total electricity bill under the...
cityairnews
May 23, 2015 12:30
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Ludhiana, May 23, 2015: Mr Avtar Singh, President Chamber of Industrial and Commercial organizations (CICU) Ludhiana in a statement released today has condemned levy of 5% tax on total electricity bill under the guise of infrastructure development (ID Fee) and cess of Rs 1 per litre on diesel Rs 2 per litre on petrol. He added the State government has undone the relief given by Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission order for 2015-16, which has decided to reduce tariff for certain sections of consumers and not to increase tariff for most other categories. The Government has taken an unprecedented step to burden the industry and public at large. Electricity is an essential input required for the State’s development. The hike in diesel and petrol is bound to fuel inflation and prices northward.
Mr Upkar Singh Ahuja, General Secretary, CICU, said that there is strong resentment in the industrial sector for these levies. This development is a major setback for the State industry and other consumers, which were already paying 13% electricity duty on power tariff. In spite of providing relief to the industry to make it competitive the State Government has further burdened the industrial sector. With all these taxes, duties & fees in place, it is beyond imagination how the industry in Punjab will survive and compete in the national & international market. The industrialists of Punjab are being supplied power at exorbitant rate as compared with all other Northern States. One cannot hope that any new industry will come up in the State due to repeated hike in power tariff and the imposition of various taxes, duties & fees every now & then.
Both of them further said that all these levies are uncalled for which will have negative impact on the industry as the cost of production will go up subsequently and leave the industry uncompetitive. They have requested and urged upon Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Hon’ble Chief Minister Punjab to roll back the exorbitant levies, so as to save the Punjab Industry from disaster and further exodus to adjoining states having pro-industry policies.
Date:
Saturday, May 23, 2015
