Chamling commits IT exemption to business community

Chamling commits IT exemption to business community

Staff Reporter
Source: Sikkim Express)

GANGTOK, March 30: The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) party will be formally releasing its list of candidates for the forthcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections on April 3 on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami.
This was informed by SDF president and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling during a meeting with members of the business community at Samman Bhavan here today.

The Chief Minister said that the SDF party will be announcing its candidates on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami and the party will create a Ram Rajya in Sikkim, informed some businessmen who attended the meeting.

The Chief Minister also reiterated that the SDF party is committed to deliver income tax exemption to the left out business community of Sikkim at par with Sikkim Subject holders.

The commitment was made during the interaction of the Chief Minister with the members of the business community at Samman Bhavan. Some 250 members of the business community from all parts of the State had been invited by the Chief Minister for an interaction which lasted almost two hours.

The Chief Minister said that he is working to deliver income tax exemption to the business community and promised that he will achieve this, said one businessman who attended the meeting. “The meeting was very fruitful”, he said.

It is informed that the Chief Minister during the meeting underlined the rapid developmental strides Sikkim has been making benefiting all sections of the Sikkimese society including the business community. He also appealed the business community to take up new business ventures in tune with the changing times, it is informed.

Particularly focusing on the commerce and trade sector in Sikkim, Mr. Chamling highlighted the new opportunities before the local trading community presented by Nathu La border trade and coming up projects like Pakyong airport, rail link up to Rangpo. He also called up the business community to actively participate in the floriculture sector of the State, said one businessman. The business community was appealed to come ahead to help the farmers engaged in floriculture and make the sector stable, he said.

The Chief Minister also called up the business community to come up with new industrial projects and said that he was ready to give land and loans, said another businessman who attended the meeting. The Chief Minister pointed out that outside companies are only come forward for such projects and questioned why the locals are not coming forward, he said.

The Chief Minister was also very keen that the local businessmen and investors should come forward for doing mini-hydel power projects in the State, it is informed. He also highlighted the beautification works that was done in Gangtok and Namchi and informed that similar projects are coming up in other urban areas of the State like Rangpo and Namchi.