From TOI Kolkata
Cabinet nod to lifetime tax payment for cars
Swati Sengupta, TNN Jun 21, 2012, 01.20AM IST
Tags:
West Bengal|Mamata Banerjee|Left Front government|car tax|Additional Road Tax
KOLKATA: Now, pay the tax just once when you buy a car and it will be valid as long as the car lasts. The move is an attempt by the cash-strapped Mamata Banerjee government to garner as much revenues as it can. Till now, one was paying car tax for five years at a time. This system, too, was introduced by the Left Front government to mop up revenues. Prior to that, tax had to be paid annually.
The state cabinet, on Wednesday, cleared a proposal for lifetime tax payment for four-wheelers, two-wheelers, contract carriage and luxury taxis. It will, however, not be applicable for commercial vehicles like buses, trucks, taxis and auto rickshaws. While the government argues that it will mean less hassle for car owners as they will have to pay the tax only once, automobile companies and dealers are wary of the move and fear it will lead to a drop in sales due to the steep hike in initial payout.