Allege govt had back-tracked on lifting VAT
UNITED WE STAND: (Front row) Ajay, Dileep, Abhi Tam, Amrita, Navdeep, Akash Mondal and Utpal Lahri; (back row) Shiv Prasad, Sai Tejo and Matt
KOZHIKODE: The latest edition of Grand Kerala Shopping Festival season 8 will have to run the show without the support of Kerala Vyapari-Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi. The samithi with around one lakh registered trading members has decided to withdraw its support for the festival protesting against the negligence shown by the government to their demands.
The KVVES has decided to run a new show under its banner without the support of government bodies by providing attractive discounts in December and January in connection with the festival season.
According to KVVES vice-president P.C. Ashraf, in the last two years the union had gained a bad image among the public because the government did not keep its word on the gifts worth crores of rupees offered to the people. “We are in turn suffering for all the arbitrary attitude of the government which is utilising our support,” he added.
“Since last year we have been asking the state government to immediately scrap VAT imposed on textiles. But we have not so far received any positive response,” said KVVES president T. Nazirudheen.
The government had gone back on its promise of lifting the VAT (Value Added Tax). “Even we had to face a series of issues among other trade unions in the state regarding the festival,” he said.
“Though the government was facing a grave financial crunch, crores has been offered as gifts for the event which has not so far been fulfilled. Hence we are losing face among the public,” he added.
The annual shopping extravaganza promoted by the State Industrial and Tourism Department in association with other government departments and with the participation of the trading community will be in trouble with the withdrawal of support by the traders union.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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