Dimapur, October 14 (MExN): The People for Democratic Rights (PDR) has expressed concern over the leasing out of tolls and taxes under Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) allegedly leading to rise in rate of taxes, tolls and commodities whereby the public has to pay heavy price owing to the leasing system. It demanded the Municipal Affairs Department (MAD) to “immediately revoke and cancel the order on tolls and taxes in respect of DMC.”
Various organizations in the past have opposed the lessee system. If the toll was collected directly by the DMC, the system would be more fruitful for the public, stated the PDR in a press release from its ‘Media and Publicity Affairs’ today.
“Against the wishes of the public, the MAD went on to invite bids for leasing out the urban tolls and utility fees for DMC in June for 36 commodities… the lease system clearly is a disadvantage for the DMC since it drastically brings down the amount of tax collection eventually leading to deficient development for the public,” noted the PDR.
Stating that the Hardware Merchants’ Association Dimapur District has “every right to oppose the lease system since it has increased the tax on the item in astronomical terms,” the PDR maintained that “the lease system is outrightly against the wishes and welfare of the public and directly affecting the public in a huge way.”
It pointed out that the DMC has “hundreds of employees who can be assigned for toll tax collection and if there is shortage of manpower, then DMC can rope in services of hundreds of educated unemployed youth to collect tax by paying them lumpsump amount or on daily basis and provide a part time job/income for our youth.”
Stop illegal collection: NVCO
The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has asked the Nagaland State Government to stop toll tax being collected by the Municipal/Town Council and “illegal collection of cash” at the check-gates/ highways in Nagaland.
Noting the price rise affecting people in the State, the NVCO stated, “The collection of cash at the check-gates and on highways including Toll Tax collected by the Municipal/Town Council, illegal collection of cash by Nagaland Police, Public Organisation and several other federation/groups/organisation/unions upon the carriers is the root-cause of price-rise in the market and finally all these cash collections are realised by the helpless consumers.”
Despite the State Government banning such collection, the NVCO President Kezhokhoto Savi alleged that several organisations/ groups/federation including Nagaland Police “still collect cash/illegal collection at check-gates.”
The collection of cash at the check-gates/highways on the movement of goods across state should have stopped under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
Therefore, the NVCO asked the State Government to stop toll tax collection in Nagaland now that GST covers everything.
The NVCO also expressed shock to see DMC toll tax highlighted by the Dimapur Hardware Merchants’ Association stating that “earlier the entry tax per vehicle for M/s Rod was Rs. 350 for 6-wheeler vehicle and Rs. 450 for 12-wheeler vehicle but the toll tax was leased out, the toll tax collection has started with Rs. 50 per MT instead of per vehicle since October1, 2018 and with this lease system introduced by the DMC, the entry tax has increased to Rs.3500 per vehicle for 12-wheeler of 70MT.”
