Traders to strike from July 15
The common man may yet again have to suffer as the Federation of Association of Maharashtra (FAM) has decided to go on strike against Local Body Tax (LBT) for two days from July 15. FAM chief Mohan Gurnani confirmed the development on Sunday.
In view of the upcoming Monsoon Session of the state Legislature from July 15, the issue of LBT has come to the fore once again. All the traders’ association related to wholesalers and retailers across the state will support the strike, the FAM claimed.
The FAM has alleged that the state government has not kept its promise regarding the controversial tax, and so traders of the state had decided to go on a strike against the careless attitude of the government towards the issue. Mr Gurnani said that the government had promised to appoint a joint committee of traders and senior government officials to resolve crucial issues in LBT like assessment of tax.
“The committee had to submit its findings to the government in four weeks. The idea was that the findings of the committee would be discussed in both the Houses of the state Legislature during the Monsoon Session to get a unanimous and executable decision. However, six weeks have passed and even the committee has not been formed as yet,” Mr Gurnani said.
The FAM president said that they were ready to pay tax, but not in the current form of LBT. “We don’t want separate assessment authorities, especially the authority given to BMC to assess the LBT,” Mr Gurnani added.
Due to disagreement with the state government on various issues related to LBT, the traders association had struck work in May, causing tremendous trouble to the common man as the strike lasted for more than 20 days. It had resulted in short supply of essential commodities and led to the soaring of food prices.
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