Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Move to impose tax on extravagant weddings

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 5. The Government is planning to slap a luxury tax on extravagant weddings, the Finance Minister Vakkom Purushothaman, has said. He was speaking after inaugurating `Residents Conference 2004' organised by the Trivandrum Residents' Apex Council here today.

He said that he was revealing a `budgetary secret' before the audience, comprising members from various residents' associations in the city. Mr. Purushothaman expressed his desire to generate a public debate on the move. "We are considering how to save the people from the financial trap laid by the `blade' companies," he said.

Mr. Purushothaman attributed the rising consumerist culture as the root cause of the growth of the `blade' companies in the State. He observed that the residents associations, which have contributed towards the development of the city, could play a key role in reducing consumerism. The Kudumbasree project has given the women folk a sense of economic independence through various self-supporting schemes. The association members should launch similar ventures in the co-operative sector, the Minister said.

Develop infrastructure

The index of development of a city lies in the availability of basic infrastructure facilities such as hospitals and schools and not in the number of high-rise buildings or commercial establishments, Mr. Purushothaman added.

Former Additional Chief Secretary J. Lalithambika said the "consumerist culture has reached its heights" in the State. Marriage ceremonies had become occasions for demonstrating one's financial superiority. "In the past, the gold given as dowry was weighed in sovereigns, but now it is in kilograms," she quipped.

K.K. Cherian, president of the apex council, urged the Finance Minister to elevate Neyyattinkara and Chirayinkeezhu to the level of satellite townships. The Antony Government had allocated Rs.500 crores for the development of Thiruvananthapuram district, but till date, only Rs.30 crores had been disbursed, he said.

The Government should take necessary steps to sanction the remaining amount and undertake the responsibility of developing the district on a priority basis.

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