Citing severe financial constraints faced by the government, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday suggested the elected representatives from the state to pay their income taxes.
Chief Minister has pointed out that these taxes are currently being paid by the state government while draining the exchequer of the much-needed funds. He further mooted the proposal for self-payment of taxes by all elected representatives, including himself.
“Punjab is possibly the only state in the country to follow the system of the government paying taxes for all ministers and legislators...The income tax being paid by the Punjab government on this account stood at Rs 11.08 crore,” said an official government spokesperson after a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Fiscal Management, where the proposal was mooted by the Chief Minister.
Spokesperson added that while the bulk of Rs 10.72 crore was for payment of income tax of legislators, the remaining was for the Ministers.
The suggestion, if implemented, would lead to a saving of this entire amount, which the state could then use for various important development works and implementation of welfare schemes, many of which are facing serious hurdles due to paucity of funds, said the spokesperson.
To boost savings for the state government, the Chief Minister also reiterated his appeal to the party colleagues and rich farmers to give up free power subsidy. Capt Amarinder had first made this appeal during the Assembly session in June last year, when he personally set an example by giving up his own subsidy.