Cabinet reduces VAT on IT goods, motor parts
Amid rise in sugar prices due to levying additional import duty BlP families in Jharkhand can still feel sugary. For sugar will return to the public distribution shops after a long gap.
The Cabinet on Thursday decided to provide the commodity to BPl and antyodaya families, more than 11 lakh in number, with Rs 19.57 of subsidy on every kilogram. Each family would get two kg of sugar every month.
Food and Civil Supply Minister lobin Hembrum said that sugar would be made available on PDS shops from July. The commodity has not been provided under public distribution system thus far in the State. Formal decision to add lungi along with dhoti and sari for BPl families has also been taken.
Interesting is to note that during the President’s Rule in 2009 and just ahead of the Assembly elections decision to distribute sugar through PDS to households had been taken by the then Governor K Sankaranarayanan perhaps for the first time since the formation of Jharkhand. Though, the matter got shelved thereafter. Now the decision has again come ahead of the Assembly polls and also when most of the families are waiting to get their ration cards.
Informing about the decision taken on Thursday Cabinet Secretary JB Tubid further said that the Cabinet has cut value added tax (VAT) on various IT goods and motor parts. “VAT on computer, its parts, telephone parts, CD, wireless except UPS has been reduced from previous 10 per cent to five. On motor parts, tyres, tubes and truck bodies it has been reduced from 14 to five per cent,” he said.
The Cabinet passed total 41 proposals in the meeting. Though, excise duty on various items of Indian foreign liquor, beer and low stage carbonated drinks has been raised by approximately Rs 500 on every caret.
This apart, the Cabinet also restructured entertainment tax on cinema halls and multiplexes to promote the business in the State. In municipal areas the hall owners would have to pay just eight per cent of their total monthly collection as entertainment tax. The rate would be five per cent and two per cent in urban and rural areas, respectively. The Cabinet also hiked wages to anganwadi sevikas and sahayikas by Rs 750 which would be additional to Rs 350 paid to them as allowance.