TNSTC Vellore defaults Rs 56.87 L professional tax

VELLORE: The Vellore Municipal Corporation and the Vellore division of TNSTC (Villupuram) are in a bind over non-payment of professional tax to the tune of Rs.56.87 lakh for ten years, sources revealed.

The local body’s Zone II Assistant Commissioner issued a notice to TNSTC Vellore division on September 15 demanding payment of professional tax collected from its staff and which had not been remitted to the local body for a ten-year period from 2010-11 to 202021. he notice issued to the general manager listed the demand for each year. However, Vellore Corporation officials were pulled up by their superiors when the news broke of the decade long pendency. Meanwhile, bus crews and office staff were totally unaware that the money deducted as professional tax twice a year from their salaries has not been remitted to the local body.

When asked, a conductor said, “we are totally unaware of this issue and even trade union officials do not seem aware of the non-payment.”

TNSTC Vellore sources mentioned that the non-payment might be due to the funds being diverted for payment of salaries and to meet various urgent needs. However, with transport services not operating for nearly six months due to the pandemic, an official seeking anonymity said, “we wonder how we will pay the amount given that the corporation is already cash-strapped.”

Officials are now checking records to see if any other organisation owes such huge amounts.

A notice warned that if payment was not remitted within a fortnight then distraint proceedings would be initiated against TNSTC Vellore.