People seek tax relaxation

Vijayawada: The industrialists, members of Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, film industry, hotel industry, common men, job goers and people belonging to various walks of life are seeking benefits especially relaxation from Goods Service Tax (GST) and other sops in the forthcoming Union budget. Majority of them expressed their displeasure over Union government’s budget allocations and priorities in the previous year. 

The employees were waiting for income tax slab enhancement, said R Ajay Kumar, working president of All India Bank Employees Federation of Andhra and Telangana. Majority of employees are urging the Central government to give relaxation on salary up to Rs 10 lakh. The employees appealed to the government to revive old pension scheme instead of contributory pension scheme, he said.

Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Muttavarapu Muralikrishna asked the government to announce allowance and tax holiday for industries sector in Andhra Pradesh. He opined that the Centre should have already given such kind of incentives at least for capital area by taking into state bifurcation challenges. The GST, excise and customs duty taxes should be relaxed for Andhra Pradesh. The agriculture sector should be given some sops in the budget, he said.

A Rajya Lakshmi, a housewife, said the governments were not giving any priority for the common man and women in budgets. She opined that the governments should take some precautions to reduce prices of essential commodities. Middle class is facing many challenges to lead their life. She questioned as to how many times petrol, diesel prices were hiked and pointed out that the income is not increasing on par with expenses.

South India Film Chamber president C Kalyan said the government should give relaxation from GST for the movies. He wondered as to how the film producers could pay 28 per cent tax when the 95 per cent pictures are flops. He also asked the government to give tax relaxation on import of projectors. The problem from scarcity of theaters could be solved allowing projectors without tax from foreign countries, he said.

Andhra Pradesh Hotels Association president M Srinivasa Babu said the Centre should give tax waiver on functions being organized in hotels. He said the middle class hold marriages and other functions in small and medium range hotels. Now, the hotels are charging Rs 18 per cent GST on bills of functions, he said. Similarly, he also asked the government to cancel tax on hotel room rents up to Rs 1,500. 

R Patnaik, president, Krishna District Druggists and Chemists Association, asked the government to give tax relaxation on medicines. He said the poor and middle class were bearing the tax burden.