Centre may consider all-India cess for Kerala redevelopment, says state FM

Arun Jaitley, Kerala's Thomas Isaac discuss possibility of disaster cess on luxury items, other goods to fund natural calamities in Kerala and other states

The Union Finance Ministry may consider an all-India cess for the redevelopment of Kerala, which was devastated by the recent floods, said Kerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac.

Speaking to Business Standard after meeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on Thursday, Isaac said that the Finance Minister told him that it will be difficult to have just one state levy cess for mobilising money, as it will create too many complications, He said the finance minister told him that the Center did not want to give up the principal of uniform tax.

During the meeting, Jaitley and Isaac discussed