BJP warns action against hoarding of essential goods
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 22 April 2013 11:23 IST
Subhash Faldesai at Press Meet
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to check artificial shortage created and control disproportionate hike created of essential goods by local vendors due to strike against entry tax.
BJP spokesperson Subhash Faldesai however admitted that the vegetables coming to Goa has been partially blocked by the traders and transporters.
“Little hike in the essential goods is bound to be, but that is marginal”, felt Faldesai.
According to him, the hike would be few paise, like 20 paise on one kg potatoes, would occur due to entry tax.
He said the government is still monitoring and analyzing the impact of the entry tax on sale of essential goods.
Faldesai claimed that there is no shortage of vegetables and other goods, though he admitted that there is artificial shortage as well as partial blocking of essential goods coming to Goa.
The Belgaum and Kolhapur truckers have started Boycott Goa action by stopping all the vehicles carrying essential goods to Goa, in protest of the entry tax imposed on the vehicles entering Goa.
“We don’t charge, like other states, at every point but one-time marginal entry tax while entering the state. What is wrong with it if it helps creating infrastructure like good roads and bridges”, asked Faldesai.
As the entry tax is in the interest of the state, he felt all the organizations including the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as opposition parties like the Congress should support this revenue generating exercise.
In fact he came down heavily on Congress for working against the interest of the state by opposing the concept of entry tax.
While admitting that the entry tax is being imposed without issuing a final notification, Faldesai brushed aside the issue stating that “it is a legal matter.”
He also denied that the law department had objected to entry tax as imposing tax on Indian vehicles while crossing the state borders is illegal.
“The law department had raised some queries and the government has answered it”, he claimed.
