The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Plea to waive service tax on traders

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Monday, Aug 11, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Plea to waive service tax on traders

Staff Reporter

Valuable help: S. Regupathy, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, giving away cash assistance to a student in Pudukottai on Sunday.

PUDUKOTTAI: Speakers at the general body meeting of the Pudukottai District Chamber of Commerce held here on Sunday, have urged the Centre to withdraw the service tax on traders towards the despatch of consignments by trucks. They also wanted the introduction of additional train services from and via Pudukottai, taking due advantage of the broad-gauge facility on the Tiruchi–Karaikudi sector.

The honorary secretary, R. Xavier, said that the service tax was being collected from the merchants who despatched their goods by lorries and other heavy vehicles. Although the Centre had withdrawn the toll on lorry owners, following their indefinite stir recently, the traders’ demand for a similar withdrawal had not been conceded for a prolonged period.

The president of the Chamber, Kasi Viswanathan, said that a severe fine was being levied on delayed submission of half-yearly statements to the Excise Department. A penalty of Rs.2,000 caused a major burden to the merchants. He demanded the express train running between Palakkad and Tiruchi to be extended up to Pudukottai; a direct service between Karaikudi and Chennai; a new service between Thanjavur and Madurai via Karaikudi, Pudukottai, Tirupattur and Melur. Referring to the execution of the underground drainage scheme in the town, the secretary of the Chamber Anbarasu pleaded with the Municipality to desist from advance collection of deposit towards development charges.

The Union Minister of State for Forests and Environment, S. Regupathy, assured the office-bearers of the Chamber that he would impress upon the Railway Ministry to take adequate steps for introducing a service between Manamadurai and Chennai.

He also distributed uniforms donated by the Chamber to the inmates of Bishop Becksal orphanage and cash assistance of Rs.250 to each of 80 students belonging to the economically weaker section and water drums to four schools. Later, the meeting adopted resolutions in support of the above demands.

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