SAD opposes wealth tax on farmers

Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal today opposed the imposition of wealth tax on farmers by the Centre and termed the decision as "blow to the farming community."
"It was strange that Congress-led UPA government was taking one step after the other to harm the debt ridden peasantry," a release quoting SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said.
The decision to impose 1 per cent tax on agriculture land falling within the 8-km of urban areas with keeping the collector's rate as base would hit the farmers, he said.
As per the decision, more than 70 per cent of the farmers of the state would be forced to pay this tax, Cheema said.

The SAD leader termed it as an "ill conceived" and "harsh" decision, and alleged the Congress-led UPA government of taking care of the interest of corporates only.
He said the farmers were expecting big relief from the Union government. "Instead of helping them the government has taken a series of anti-farmers decision including withdrawing subsidies on fertilisers, decontrolling diesel prices, inadequate MSP," he said.
As per the collector rates of the land, it would be impossible for the farmers to pay tax as it would be many times more than their annual income from their land, he said.
The Core Committee of SAD will meet here on April 25 to discuss the whole issue and chalk out a strategy to oppose the anti-farmer move of the UPA government, Cheema said.