Sugarcane purchase tax exempted

The Maharashtra government has decided to exempt sugarcane purchase tax for 2013-14 in order to help the recession-hit sugar industry and offer remunerative prices to cane farmers, it was announced on Thursday.

"A provision enabling notification for same is being made in the Sugarcane Purchase Tax Act. Due to this proposal, Rs 700 crore became available to the sugar industry for paying the remunerative price to the farmers," Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar said in his Budget speech.

"The minimum salary limit of Rs 5,000 for liability under the Profession Tax Act was fixed five years ago. I propose to enhance this limit to rupees seven thousand five hundred. This will benefit approximately seven to eight lakh low-wage earners and employees. Due to imparting training to mentally retarded persons, they have become employable. I propose to exempt them from profession tax.

Sales tax refunds of Rs 4,694 crore were granted in the financial year 2013-14, he said. "To ensure effective tax collection, the state has made some border check posts operational. I expect these checkposts to prove useful in augmenting tax collection of sales tax, state excise and transport departments. These check posts are equipped with the latest technology."