Sikkim Nationalist Peoples Party seek cut off year for old settlers for tax exemption

November 25, 2009,

Gangtok: The Sikkim Nationalist Peoples Party (SNPP) on Wednesday urged the Sikkim government to announce a cut off year for migrants in the state to avail the benefit of income tax exemption.

While about 73,000 migrant Nepalese who obtained Indian citizenship in 1990s were eligible for the exemption, a huge chunk of population living in the state for several decades were denied the benefit for lack of required documents, SNPP chief Coordinator, D N Kazi told reporters here.

The state government should immediately convene an all party meeting to evolve a consensus on the cut off year for the entitlement of the exemption, he said.

Kazi urged the state government to ensure that no other central taxes, like wealth tax, be levied upon the Sikkimese people who enjoyed a special status under Article 371(F) of the Constitution.

The Centre has extended income tax exemption to the indigenous Nepalese, Lepcha and Bhutia people on the criteria of identification laid down by the state government.

PTI