Bizmen seek rebate on electricity bills, OTS policy

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, December 23

A delegation of industrialists, businessmen and traders representing 42 associations of Amritsar on Wednesday met Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira, DTC, Excise and Taxation, Rajwinder Kaur and Chief Engineer, PSPCL, Border Range, Punjab, Pardeep Saini in support of their demands.

They gave an ultimatum to resolve their issues by January 5, otherwise a massive agitation would be launched against the state government.

The delegation included prominent industrialists like Pyare Lal Seth and Ranjan Aggarwal, president and vice-president of the Punjab Beopar Mandal, Sameer Jain, chief secretary, SK Wadhwa, treasurer, and Surender Duggal, president of the Amritsar unit.

Ranjan said their demands included the settlement of VAT cases of before July 2017 under the one-time settlement policy and reimbursement of fixed charges of electricity during the lockdown period from April to September.

“The businesses suffered a lot during the lockdown period as all the trades were shut. Now the economy is in the doldrums. At least, a 25 per cent rebate should be given on the ongoing electricity charges,” he said.

Duggal said during a meeting with the CM twice in the past, the traders were promised that there would be an early settlement of VAT cases under the one-time settlement policy but nothing had been done in this regard so far.