Port Blair, Apr 30: Communist Party of India (Marxist) has decided to conduct a sustained campaign and agitation at Port Blair Municipal area exposing the anti-people decision of the BJP-controlled Port Blair Municipal Council to increase the property tax of the buildings and land.
A decision to this effect was taken at a State Organising Committee meeting of the CPI (M) held at Port Blair on 23.04.2017 under the chairmanship of Shri K.G. Das.
The State Organising Committee meeting discussed the issues related to the property tax and has come to the conclusion that the abnormal hike in the property tax implemented from 1st April, 2017 is another jolt on the Port Blairians who are already reeling under the price rise and other anti-people policies of the central government and A & N Administration. CPI (M) meeting has noted that there is no justification to increase the property tax by several times of the existing rate.
The Party has strongly opposed the introduction of tax for the land. The State Organising Committee meeting demanded to review the decision to hike the property tax and also to withdraw the introduction of tax on land. The meeting adopted a resolution in this regard.
The State Organising Committee meeting also expressed concern over the frequent increase in the prices of LPG cylinders and noted that during the last three months more than two hundred rupees have been increased in the prices of LPG cylinder. Shri D. Laxman Rao, Secretary reported the activities of the party in the islands while Shri Tapan Bepari, State Secretariat Member spoke at the meeting.
