Even as a section of traders in Maharashtra have agreed to call off their prolonged agitation against the Local Body Tax (LBT), the Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (Fam)on Tuesday said that the protest would continue till the government announces abolition of the LBT. “Though the traders have opened their shops honouring the advice of Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, the stir against the LBT will continue,” Fam president Mohan Gurnani said in a statement.
A section of traders had agreed to call off the strike after a meeting with CM Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday. Mr Chavan held lengthy discussions with traders, which ended late in the evening, after which some of the participants at the meeting announced that the traders would be calling off the stir. Mr Chavan reportedly assured traders that necessary amendments would be made in provisions like the registration limit. The state had indicated that it might agree to some of the traders’ demands. The account-based LBT, which replaces octroi, has been levied in 25 of the 26 municipal corporations in the state. An issue that was discussed on Tuesday’s meet was appointing serving and retired sales tax officials on deputation in municipal bodies to assess the LBT as they were familiar with the taxation system.
A delegation of Fam members had met Mr Pawar on Sunday over the issue. On May 23, the Fam has called a meeting of all the 25 municipal councils and corporations to decide further course of action against the LBT, he said. “The final decision will be taken in the meeting with the CM,” added Mr Gurnani.