Capt wants MLAs, ministers to foot income tax bill

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 5

In view of severe financial constraints being faced by the government, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today suggested that all elected representatives in the state, including ministers and MLAs, should pay their own income taxes.

Currently being paid by the government, these taxes are draining the exchequer of the much-needed funds, the Chief Minister pointed out, mooting the proposal for self-payment of taxes by all elected representatives, including himself.

Punjab was possibly the only state in the country to follow the system of the government paying taxes for all ministers and MLAs, Capt Amarinder said, adding that the income tax being paid by the state government on this account stood at Rs 11.08 crore.

While Rs 10.72 crore was for payment of income tax of MLAs, the remaining was for the ministers, said an official spokesperson after a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on fiscal management, where the proposal was mooted by the Chief Minister.

The suggestion, if implemented, would lead to saving of this entire amount, which the state could use for various development works and implementation of welfare schemes, many of which are facing hurdles due to paucity of funds.

In a bid to boost savings, the Chief Minister also reiterated his appeal to party colleagues and rich farmers to give up free power subsidy. Capt Amarinder had first made this appeal during the Vidhan Sabha session in June last year, when he gave up his own subsidy.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Brahm Mohindra and FinanceMinister Manpreet Singh Badal, besides other officers of the state government were present in the meeting.

Rs 11-cr burden

Punjab was possibly the only state in the country to follow the system of the government paying taxes for all ministers and MLAs, Capt Amarinder Singh said, adding that the income tax being paid by the state government on this account stood at Rs 11.08 crore annually.