GCCI raps delay over octroi

VADODARA, Jan 4: After holding deliberations with the State Government for more than six months over abolition of octroi, president of th...

VADODARA, Jan 4: After holding deliberations with the State Government for more than six months over abolition of octroi, president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry GCCI Utkarsh Shah has said that any further delay on the Government8217;s part to take a decision is 8220;unjustified8221;.

He, however, said the delay caused when the cyclone hit Kandla, could be excused.

Shah, who was in the city to meet members of various chambers of commerce and industry, told reporters on Monday that a decision about the Chamber8217;s future course of action would be taken at a meeting in Ahmedabad on January 10. Nearly 7,000 representatives of trade and industry from all over Gujarat would attend the meeting.

The Chamber would give a deadline to the Government to abolish octroi, he said, adding that their ultimate action to achieve their target could be 8220;anything8221;. Shah said the Government should abolish octroi by March-end. On whether the Chamber would give a bandh call, he gave a cautious answer by asking the media to show an alternative way.

Claiming that the industries were not opposed to pay amount on goods, he said they were against the manner of octroi collection. Alleging that in 8220;theka system8221; of collecting octroi, no decency was observed by the staff, Shah claimed octroi abolition would reduce corruption.

Indirectly admitting that some of the objections raised by mayors and civic chiefs about the alternative model of revenue, suggested by the Chamber, were true, he said new rules needed to be made in some proposals and also permission was required to levy new taxes.

The GCCI president said the Chamber was even ready to accept the Government proposal if their proposal was not approved. Shah said if it8217;s proposal was okayed, civic bodies would get an annual income of Rs 940 crore. This, he pointed out, would be more than Rs 700 crore, the total octroi income of all municipal corporations of the state in the last financial year.

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He said the Chamber office-bearers, were since the past several days, meeting representatives of trade and industry to know their views.

Meanwhile, Nilesh Shukla of the Vadodara Chamber of Commerce and Industry VCCI, said the Forum for Abolition of Octroi8217; in Vadodara would accept the GCCI8217;s decision. A meeting of the members of the co-ordination committee of the GCCI for abolition of octroi will be held in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.