Joshi on collision course with government - Cabinet Minister reiterates demand for withdrawal of advance tax on stocks
Tuesday, 29/07/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140729/punjab.htm#4
Amritsar : Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi today reiterated his resolve for a complete withdrawal of advance tax on stocks lying with traders after the state government gave the latter a relief for three months.
After the Sidhu couple, it seems that Joshi is on a collision course with the state government as he had threatened to lead a traders' protest against the state government over the matter on July 24.
The government seemed to have given in to the Joshi's ultimatum to withdraw the advance tax by July 28.
Earlier following an assurance by the cabinet minister, traders had agreed to suspend their agitation scheduled to begin from July 28. Joshi had even pledged to give up his post for the cause.
Joshi accused officials of the Excise and Taxation Department of misguiding the government on the matter. He said: "It is unjustified to collect tax on the stocks that are lying in the shops and the traders have not sold any part of it."
The minister said he had told Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in charge BJP Punjab Shanta Kumar and state BJP chief Kamal Sharma about frequent changes in rules by the Excise and Taxation Department. He informed that a meeting over the matter would take place in a week where the decision to abolish advanced tax on stocks was likely to be taken.
Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) president Amrit Lal Jain said the three months' reprieve was a farce. He said as per the latest instructions, the VAT dealers would need to file the same tax in the next quarter along with that quarter's return.
The union president said worksheet 7 had been incorporated into VAT form 15 in which detail of the entire stocks was to be mentioned from the start of the quarter. He said it was not feasible. He said the government was earning about Rs 20 crore from VAT dealers as each dealer had to shell out Rs 800 for filing returns.
