CHENNAI: Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday demanded that the M K Stalin-led government drop its plans to charge professional taxes on weavers, who have been eking out a living by running small units in their homes.

Several weavers own a single weaving unit and operate it like a cottage industry for their livelihood.

Amid these trying conditions, the state government is planning to levy professional taxes on them.

The government has also conducted a survey of such facilities, he said, and pointed out that there were reports that the Salem Corporation had charged Rs 27 as professional tax on weavers with a single unit.

He demanded that the government immediately stop the survey and also take measures to remove the GST on the industry to help the weaving community.