Chamber of Commerce raps new octroi rates

NAGPUR, AUG 24: The Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) has lamented the half-hearted' rationalisation of octroi rate by the Nagpur Mu...

NAGPUR, AUG 24: The Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) has lamented the half-hearted’ rationalisation of octroi rate by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

The present body headed by Mayor Devendra Phadnavis, had promised the traders that octroi rates would be rationalised to their satisfaction. Accordingly, a tariff had been worked out in which the rates were hiked for certain commodities and lowered for others.

NVCC had accepted the changed tariff. However, the notification issued recently by the NMC informing about the changes in octroi rates refers only to those commodities on which the rates have been increased. It makes no mention of those on which the duty has been lowered. The new rates which have been approved by the Urban Development Ministry, came into effect from August 10.

In a release issued here, NVCC secretary Vikrambhai Shah wonders how a decision made by the elected body could be defied by the officials while issuing the notification. “It cannot be the policy of the ruling party to withhold implementation of changes in octroi rates which have been lowered under the budget while implementing those whose tariff has been hiked,” he adds.