C'garh government exempts card swipe machines from VAT

In a bid to promote cashless transactions in Chhattisgarh, the state government has decided to exempt purchase of card swipe machine from Value Added Tax (VAT).
"The cabinet in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh yesterday decided to fully exempt card swipe machine from VAT to encourage cashless transaction in the state following demonetisation," an official from the state public relation department said today.
At present, VAT charged on purchase of such machine is 14.5 per cent which has been brought down to "zero", he added.
The officials in the meeting informed that more than 66,000 applications were received by banks for purchase of card swipe machines in the state, he added.

Besides, the cabinet has also decided to make amendments in Chhattisgarh Civil Service(special provision for appointment of female candidate) Act 1997 to ensure benefit of reservation and relaxation in age limit to only those women who are domicile of Chhattisgarh, he said.
After the amendment, the benefit of existing reservation of 30 per cent of the posts and relaxation of maximum age limits for women candidate will only be taken by the women who are domicile of the state, he added.

Moreover, the cabinet also ensured relaxation in the license fee charged for operation of passenger city buses in the state to facilitate the expansion of public transport system.

This decision has been taken to run city buses on 93 routes in 16 cities of the state after recognising those as 'city roads', the official said.
Earlier, a monthly license fee of Rs 6000 for movement of city buses was charged but after the decision it will around 1000 per month.
This decision will be a great advantage to people of Raipur, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Durg-Bhilai, Ambikapur, Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh, Kabirdham, Korba, Raigarh, Jangir-Naila, Koriya, Kondagaon, Dantewada and Jashpur, he added.