Will slash taxes, AAP to Punjab industry
THIRD MANIFESTO Party’s convener Arvind Kejriwal unveils document, says will end ‘inspector raj’
LUDHIANA: The Aam Aadmi Party has promised a low-tax regime to the industry if it forms the next government in Punjab. Releasing the party’s 22-point poll manifesto for the trade, industry and transport sectors here on Sunday, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal said VAT and other taxes will be reduced on Delhi pattern to make Punjab having the lowest tax rate in five years. The document also promises to “snatch away” the bus route permits of the ruling Badals and other politicians, besides depoliticising the state’s transport policy. It promises to give bus route permits to the unemployed youth and exservicemen. However, there is no mention of reviving the public transport players—Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) and the Punjab Roadways— whose buses from roads are vanishing fast.
LUDHIANA: The Aam Aadmi Party has promised a low-tax regime to the industry if it forms the next government in Punjab. Releasing the party’s 22-point poll manifesto for the trade, industry and transport sectors here on Sunday, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal said VAT and other taxes will be reduced on Delhi pattern to make Punjab having the lowest tax rate in five years.
“The governments till now have been treating the industrialists as thieves, but we in Delhi took them into confidence and our government earned `1,800 crore more revenue despite cut in the VAT from 12.5% to 5% in a phased manner in 2 years,” said Kejriwal. “Traders in Delhi are paying taxes honestly as the ‘inspector raj’ or ‘raid raj’ doesn’t exist there now. Same will happen in Punjab once we form the government,” he said.
The manifesto also underlines revision of all agreements that the SAD-BJP government had signed with private players and annul the “illegitimate” ones.
The manifesto announced to convert Rupnagar as the state’s industrial hub to give a boost to ‘Kandi’ area.
‘WILL SNATCH AWAY BUS PERMITS OF BADALS’
The document promises to “snatch away” the bus route permits of the Badals and other politicians, besides depoliticising the state’s transport policy.
It promises to give bus route permits to the unemployed youth and ex-servicemen. However, there is no mention of reviving the public transport players—PRTC and the Punjab Roadways—whose buses are vanishing fast from road.
“The manifesto focuses on depoliticising the transport sector by involving the common man. We will, of course, encourage the government-run public trans-port,” said AAP’s manifesto committee chairman Kanwar Sandhu.