Raw turmeric will be brought out of the VAT in Punjab. The announcement was made by Punjab Finance Minister Perminder Singh Dhindsa during his concluding remarks on the Budget debate in Punjab Assembly on Friday.
The demand to abolish VAT on raw turmeric was raised by local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, who though did not speak on budget but forwarded the idea when Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was speaking on Budget. Joshi, also demanded a cut in the VAT rate on the common spices like Coriander (Dhania), Black pepper (Kali Mirch), Celery (Ajwain) and Cummin (Jeera). Terming them to be spices of poor, Joshi said that the Government should give relief in the prices of such spices, which are used by every poor person.
later, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal too, supported the demand made by Joshi. Accepting the demand of the Minister, FM Dhindsa making announcement to make raw Turmeric VAT free, also said that VAT on the above said spices would be reduced from 6.5% to 4%. Amritsar is one of the main markets of these spices and reduction in VAT is expected to give a boost to the traders as well as the common people.
Dhindsa also announced that the Government would provide 50% subsidy to the landowners in Border (Kandi) area for getting fence installed around their fields. He said that a provision of 10 crore for this subsidy would be added in the budget. He also announced a fund of 50 crore for making the Suvidha Kendras, to be opened shortly in rural areas, to be self sufficient in the initial stages.