Cong MLA Soni leads trade delegation to PM
Friday, 05/07/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130705/punjab.htm#25
New Delhi : A trade delegation from Punjab led by Amritsar Congress legislator OP Soni today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded tax sops for the state on the lines given to the hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.
The delegation, consisting of heads of various trade organisations, during an hour-long meeting with the Prime Minister, brought to light the problems being faced by the Punjab industry, mainly because of the sops offered to the neighbouring hill states. Soni stressed on the need for a fiscal package for Punjab to ensure normal industrial development in the state.
Pointing out that over the past few years over 400 industrial units had shifted out from Punjab, the delegation sought a tax holiday. It highlighted the fact that the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur were facing an exodus and that there was an immediate need to stem it.
Urging central assistance, the delegation, in a memorandum to the PM, pointed out that the per capita income in Punjab had slipped from the sixth spot to the 12th place in the past six years. The revenue deficit had increased from 1.8% of the GDP in 2010-2011 to 2.75% in 2011-2012.
In the past few years investment worth Rs 3,675 crore had moved out of Punjab because of the tax sops given to the hill states. These had proved detrimental to Punjab, particularly the three border districts.
