EMN
DIMAPUR, JUNE 6
The Nagaland Govt. Registered Class-I Contractors’ Union (NGRC-I CU) has announced that none of its members would pay any form of taxation at “check gates and on any highways as per the Government standing order.”
While such a statement, in any other place, would have invited the question as to why the contractors were paying such taxes in the first place, the situation here in is Nagaland completely different. By design as well as by default, government orders in Nagaland are mostly lip-service exercises.
Hence, the declaration by the contractors, through a press release issued Saturday, bears a significant message. According to the press release, this decision was taken at a meeting held on June 3 last in Kohima.
At the meeting, the contractors reiterated their support to the “one tax, one government” slogan raised by “thousands of people” who attended the public rallies of Dimapur and Kohima on October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2014 respectively.
The meeting also resolved to support the ACAUT movement and extended “sincere appreciation for their selfless commitment in the fight against corruption and unabated taxation.”
Kezhokhoto Savi, an advocate and convenor of ACAUT Nagaland (legal cell) & President of NVCO briefed the union members on the objectives of ACAUT Nagaland and the activities of NVCO in the state. According to him, the contractors must be the group of people who pays maximum illegal collection of cash at check gates and on highways. He reminded the contractors that there was a standing order from the state government which prohibits any form of monetary collection at check posts and highways by any individuals, organizations and government departments.
The NGRC-I (CU) has also informed its members “who are still doing or have completed any project under NABARD, NLCPR, PMGSY, SPA, NEC & PM Packages with pending bills, to submit their documents along with information such as the funds meant for the projects kept in Civil Deposit(CD) or diverted, on or before 15th June, 2015.” The members have also been asked to renew their registration on or before 10th August, 2015.
