Government will ensure No Harassment to Traders by Administration – SANJAY RAUT
A delegation of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry & Trade (CAMIT) led by Dr. Dipen Agrawal President met Sanjay Raut, (MP – Rajya Sabha) Shiv Sena during his two days visit to Nagpur in prominent presence of Dushyant Chaturvedi, MLC, Vishal Barbate, Nagpur Shiv-SenaMahanagarSanghatak.
Today’s Rate
Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
At the outset Agrawal welcomed Sanjay Raut with floral bouquet and submitted memorandums highlighting the three most problematic issues haunting business community 1) exorbitant hike in rent by Corporations & their coercive action, 2) harassment by Local Body Tax department across the state under the garb of assessment and 3) action on MSME by NMRDA. He also pitched for setting-up Refinery & Petrochemical Complex (RPC) in Vidarbha.
Dr. Dipen Agrawal, president CAMIT, requested Sanjay Raut to pitch for Vidarbha region for setting up a Refinery & Petrochemical Complex.He further requested Sanjay Raut to use his good office to impress upon the state government to recommend to the union government, support & assure to give all necessary clearance in time bound manner for mega Refinery & Petrochemical Complex in and around Nagpur in Vidarbha region
Raut assured to discuss the issue with Chief Minister and do his best to take the proposal ahead.
Wahab Parekh and Sanjay Nabira from NMC Market Federation said that after persistent follow up and persuasion by CAMIT, State government recently stayed the operation of notification dated 13/09/2019 wherein Municipal Corporations were directed to collect 8% of market value as annual rent. Government also constituted a committee of government officers to review and fix rent afresh. Now it is said that the said notification in question does not apply to the Licensee Galedharak. that a Lease-holder is on better footing that that of a License-holder. Raut was informed that Lease-holder enjoys greater benefits than as compared to License-holder, would be paying less rent (about 2%) whereas the Licensee enjoying lesser benefits as compared to Lease-holder would be paying higher rent (about 4% in Nagpur and about 8% in other Corporations). They requested Raut to intervene and impress upon state government to notify that the Licensee Galedhark are covered under the 13/09/2019 notification or alternatively notify similar rules for Licensee Galedharak and tenants .
Raut after giving patient hearing assured to speak to Eknath Shinde and keep a meeting of stake holders with the minister. He also assured his presence in the said meeting to resolve the matter to satisfaction of licensee galedharaks and tenants.
Shivpratap Singh, President – The Nagpur Itwari Kirana Merchant Association said that first notification declaring 5 Km area touching outer limits of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as Nagpur Metro Region was issued in 1999 and thereafter the Metro Region limit was increased to 10 Km before notifying the present limit of 25 Km from boundary of NMC. Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) was notified as Special Planning Authority for Nagpur Metro Region the limits in 2010. NIT passed resolution for preparing development plan for Metro Region in 2012 and published Draft Development Plan (2012-2032) calling objection and suggestions, in 2015. In the meantime, state government established Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) in 2017. In 2018 Final Development Plan (2012-2032) for Nagpur Metro Region was sanctioned and notified.
He further submitted that after a sizeable survey of Nagpur Rural it was learnt that majority of units i.e. 59% were established before 2012-NIT resolution and 85% of them were established before the first publication of 2015-Draft Development Plan (2012-2032), hence it is unjust on part of NMRDA to expect these units to maintain the margins prescribed in DCR (2012-32). Almost every unit following the then prevailing procedure obtained Non-Agriculture (NA) Order from concerned Thasildar and sanction for Building Plan from concerned Gram Panchayat.
The units in good faith have taken these permissions from them and further submitted to other Government agencies to process their applications. Shivpratap Singh requested Sanjay Raut to take-up the issue with Government and impress upon them to notify that the MSME units established prior to 06/01/2018 (the date on which the DCR 2012-2032 for Nagpur Metropolitan Region was notified) should be saved from the provisions of the said DCR.
Raut said that this also being connected to Urban development department will discuss with the minister and ensure resolution shortly.
Ashok Sanghvi and Girish Liladia, said that practically Local Body Tax (LBT) was abolished from 31/07/2015 i.e., FY 2015-16. As per LBT Rules 2010, the last date for assessment for FY 2015-16 is 31/03/2021. LBT officers have indulged in 100% assessment of regular LBT cases, whereas LBT Rules provide for assessment only in certain contingencies only. It goes without saying that 100% assessment of regular LBT cases by department is nothing but a tool in the hands of officers to harass and extort the business community.
They further informed that department is passing ex-party (best judgement) orders raising inflated & fictitious tax demands and using them to justify continuance of LBT Department. In some case’s back-dated assessment orders for previous years have been issued by department. Records from LBT Appellate Authority will evidence the correctness of our statement. They requested Sanjay Raut to take-up this issue with Government of Maharashtra to close LBT Department in all Municipal Corporations with immediate effect to ensure ease of doing business in the state.
Raut said that since the issues raised are pertaining to Urban development ministry he will request Eknath Shinde to keep a meeting in Nagpur with his team of officials and all issues can be resolved and he further added he shall also be present in the said meeting.
Dr. Dipen Agrawal on behalf of business community of the state expressed his gratitude towards Sanjay Raut (MP) SevSena for patiently hearing the issues of traders and assuring his best efforts to get them addressed by concerned department/ministry.
