Jamshedpur: SCCI opposes levying of holding tax on industrial units

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 10: Members of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Tuesday protested the notification directing industrial units of Adityapur Industrial Area to pay holding tax.

SCCI president Vijay Anand Moonka, general secretary Manav Kedia and other office-bearers of the outfit unanimously opposed the notification issued by Adityapur Municipal Corporation (AMC) in this regard. They said the traders would be forced to take to the streets against the AMC order.

“Adityapur Industrial Area is an industrial area declared so by the state government and it was set up to give a fillip to industries in Kolhan. Since it’s an industrial area, it is outside the purview of a municipal body like the AMC. Hence there is no rationale behind ordering traders to pay holding tax to the AMC. The industrial area was not a part of the erstwhile Adityapur Notified Area committee. It is also not a part of Adityapur Municipal Corporation at present,” said Moonka.

Moonka said various civic amenities such as roads, drains and street lights are being provided in the industrial area by JIADA in lieu of which the industrialists pay land rent and levy to the industrial body.

The SCCI president further said that the AMC should collect holding tax from private land owners in the municipal area. He said putting pressure on industrialists for paying holding tax and threatening to discontinue water connections in case they fail to do so is deplorable. He said the water connection was provided by the drinking water supply department. The AMC should only collect water tax from industries and ensure maintenance of the industrial area, he said.

The SCCI leaders said they would soon met Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Jharkhand Chief Secretary and Industry Secretary to register their protest in case the AMC fails to fulfill their demand.