Traders threaten to strike over property tax hike

After attending the 14th general council meeting of Dindigul Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sunday, he told reporters that hiking and reducing the tax marginally was just an eye-wash by the government.

Moreover, he said there was no clarity in the imposition of ban on polythene bags since many traders were forced to pay penalty on charges of possessing such plastic bags. While Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy during the Assembly session announced that the ban of plastics would come to effect from January 1, 2019, enforcement personnel had been penalising many traders now itself. 

Hence, he appealed to the government authorities to clarify their stand regarding this issue. He also demanded the Centre to bring petrol and diesel under the Goods and Service Tax (GST) bracket since fuel price was soaring at frequent intervals and vehicle users had been facing hardship. Further, he stressed the need for lowering the GST rate from 28 per cent – 18 per cent to five percent -12 per cent at the maximum.

The state government officials should pressurise the GST council members in this regard. If these demands were not met, the traders would launch a massive protest against centre and state governments, he said.