Congress demands abolition of Goa's controversial vehicle entry tax

Claims such tax proposal has dented essential commodity supplies to the state

The Congress unit of Goa today demanded abolition of the controversial entry tax for vehicles entering from other Indian states, claiming that such a tax proposal has dented essential commodity supplies to the state. Congress leader Vishwajit Rane told reporters today that there is an artificial scarcity and genuine shortage of supplies of essential commodities, since traders from Belgaum and Kolhapur have stopped supplies in protest.

"The party feels that entry tax should be completely abolished," he said, adding that the party could rethink on its demand for abolition, if the state government brings down the tax to a nominal level.

"If at all they want to charge, they can charge something around Rs 100 per truck and not Rs 1,000 per truck, which is currently applicable," Rane stated. He claimed that the prices of essential commodities have already started shooting up in the state's market. "We will go through heavy inflation. People will be ultimate sufferers," the Congress leader said.

The Goa government has started imposing entry tax on vehicles from April 15 onwards, which is expected to add Rs 100 crore to the state's coffers annually. The Congress party has claimed that the government's decision to levy entry tax was a measure to compensate for revenue loss due to stoppage of mining. "If the government has no source of revenue collection, they should openly admit it to the people. This is not the way to collect revenue," Rane said.

Protesters from Belgaum and Kolhapur from where essential commodities like vegetables, milk, eggs and grocery is supplied to Goa, have already announced ban on supplies from Saturday.