Congress makes poll promises on Income Tax in its manifesto

Congress makes poll promises on Income Tax in its manifesto

Staff Reporter

GANGTOK, April 13: The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) has singled out the Income Tax exemption issue as the most prominent agenda of the party in the coming Assembly elections in Sikkim.
“The discrimination made by the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government on the income tax exemption issue to the old business community and non Sikkim subject holders is our chief agenda for the upcoming Assembly elections”, said SPCC president Nar Bahadur Bhandari while releasing the party manifesto today at the party headquarters here in Gangtok.
Mr. Bhandari vowed to return back the Income Tax Act that has been implemented since 2008 in Sikkim. We will restore our old law of Sikkim, the Income Tax Manuel Act of 1948 when we form the Congress government, he said.
The Congress manifesto states that the old laws of Sikkim will be implemented on all communities of Sikkim including the business and government employees as the direct taxes have been implement in an illegal manner in Sikkim by the SDF government.
“The old business community and a section of State government employees have been given Constitutional injustice. The Congress government will give justice”, the manifesto reads.
The Congress party also committed to conduct fresh delimitation in Sikkim to provide reservation to Limboo and Tamang communities and for the Nepali communities in the State Assembly. The manifesto reminds that only Congress party can deliver political rights to the Limboo Tamang communities.
The delimitation will be also conduct to provide justice to the old business community who has been given a raw deal by the 2006 delimitation where the business community dominated areas have been reserved for SC and ST communities.
The Congress party has also committed for declaring a cut off year to prevent influx in Sikkim.
The Congress party has also pledged in the manifesto that it not politicize the Panchayati Raj Institution in Sikkim and added that it will give pension and certificate to the retired Panchayats.
Targeting the youths who form 40 percent of voters in Sikkim, the Congress party promised to provide them employment and priority in all private business sectors including contract works. The Bhoomiputra (sons of soil) policy will be implemented in Sikkim and there will be a government employee in each house in Sikkim, the party promised. The Bhoomiputra policy will be implemented in all the Central establishments, national banks, private companies and industries during the Congress government, the party said.
“We will give direct democracy to Sikkim people. All voters in Sikkim will be entitled to equal share in all the Central and State schemes. We will maintain uniform treatment to all in Sikkim”, said Mr. Bhandari.
‘Bikash Patrika’ (development document) occupies a major portion in the 38 pages Congress manifesto. The Congress party said that it will give the Bikash Patrika to all the BPL families in Sikkim which will provide government largesse and benefits to them at their doorsteps during the Congress government.
Those holding Bikash Patrika will not have to pay electricity bills while those without this document will have to pay power bills at Rs. 2 per unit. Water will be supplied free in all rural areas while only low charges will be there in urban areas, the manifesto promises.
The Congress government will also shut down all lottery shops, discos, casinos and other gambling dens, the manifesto states. The party also promised a monthly starting salary of Rs. 3600 to each labourer while the salary of the workcharged employees will be enhanced to Rs. 6000 besides a grant of Rs. 10,000 after they retire. The Home Guards will get a monthly salary of Rs. 9000 besides getting opportunities in the vacant posts of Sikkim police, the manifesto commits.
Even if a government employee does not get promoted, his or her salary will be increased, Congress said.
Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha seat KN Upreti said that the party has tried its best to include all the aspirations and dreams of the poor people of Sikkim in the party’s election manifesto released today.
“Most of the points mentioned in the manifesto reflects the aspirations of the Sikkimese people and also includes where the SDF government has failed”, said Mr. Upreti.
Chamling announces to provide 15 % reservation to LTs in government service & Panchayati Raj
‘Resolution will be passed in SLA to exempt all business communities from IT’