The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Corporation demands withdrawal of entertainment tax cut

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 08, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Corporation demands withdrawal of entertainment tax cut

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, AUG. 7. The Kochi Corporation today adopted a resolution asking the Government to withdraw the cut in entertainment tax for Malayalam films.

The councillors unanimously supported the resolution moved the Deputy Mayor, A.V. George, and supported by the UDF councillor, C.G. Ramesh, at the council meeting.

The councillors noted in a discussion that reducing the entertainment tax almost by half would affect the daily functioning of the Corporation. This tax is one of the main revenues of not only the Corporation but all local bodies, the councillors said. Mr. George said the Corporation would lose Rs. 2.5 crores due to the tax cut.

The resolution said that if the Government does not reconsider the move, the loss of the Corporation should be compensated by a grant.

Panel to meet Antony

The Mayor said the five-member mayoral council would meet the Finance Minister and the Chief Minister in this regard. P.N. Seenulal, councillor, pointed out that the municipal chairmen and panchayat presidents should also send in their collective response for the Government to withdraw the move. The councillors said the Government had penalised the local bodies in its bid to resolve the film industry crisis.

Plea to Centre

In another resolution, the Council urged the Union Government to float the tenders for the International Container Transhipment Terminal to make the Vallarpadam scheme a reality. The councillors voiced their fears over whether the Government's decision to transfer the project to the ministerial sub-committee would delay the implementation of the project.

Two other resolutions adopted by the Council involved the removal of hoardings before the next council meeting and to evolve a strategy to solve the stray dog menace in the city.

The CPI(M) councillor, P.K. Prakasan, moved the resolution for removing the hoardings, that have caused accidents in the city, while the chairman of the Standing Committee Welfare, K.J. Antony, moved the resolution for adopting a strategy to solve the stray dog menace. The district committee of the Indian Veterinary Association has given a proposal in this regard.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News Update

Stories in this Section

Corporation demands withdrawal of entertainment tax cut

Road-digging: officials to be made accountable

`Empower EC to keep tainted persons off polls'

`Government should have control over banks'