Month: February 2014

DIMAPUR, Feb 3 (NNN): Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) has reaffirmed to stand by its October 31, 2013 resolutions on underground tax.

ACAUT`s latest statement came after some businessmen in Dimapur market had revealed that a Naga militant outfit had served monetary demand letters to them few days ago.

ACAUT held a meeting on February 1 after Business Association of Nagas (BAN) received complaints from its members about the Naga militant outfit`s extortion notes. ACAUT has asked business community in Dimapur not to pay any `tax` to underground organisations unless its demand for “One Government One Taxation” is achieved.

On October 31 last year, Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) under the umbrella of “People’s Power”, a 3-point resolution was passed during the rally .

The first resolution was that the Naga public recognizes “One Government One Taxation” only and the Naga public has decided to pay only one tax to one entity. This also means that as long as factionalism exists, the Naga public shall not pay tax.

The second resolution has been that the Naga public re-affirms its support for Naga movement and strongly urges the Government of India to settle the Indo-Naga imbroglio at the earliest while the third and the final resolution says the Government of Nagaland should constitute a high powered committee to study the whole gamut of unabated taxations and illegal collections involving the NPGs and government agencies/departments. The committee shall consist of atleast five members headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or High Court with atleast two members from the ACAUT.

It can be mentioned here that ACAUT was formed early 2013 to check the rampant imposition of illegal tax on the people esprecially the business community by various organisations particularly the Naga underground outfits.

It can also be be noted here that ACAUT had called Dimapur bandh against the rampant imposition of illegal tax on the people by various outfits.

The ACAUT had said it action was just a pointer of things to come unless concerned organisations and authorities accede to our demands or put mechanisms in place to curb unabated taxation and ultimately price rise, namely, dealership and multiple taxations by underground organisations and price rise which is the prerogative of government to check.

The move was initiated unable to bear any longer on the rampant imposition of `taxes` on the business community and also on the general public.

ACAUT wants that there should be only one tax payable to any one underground group. ACAUT also stated earlier that the `back-breaking` multiple taxes on goods imposed by underground groups should be abolished immediately.

`Irritants` such as trade license tax, ID tax, registration tax, calendar donations, Christmas and New Year donations, etc. shall not be entertained anymore.

The ACAUT also wants that the yearly tax payable to different underground organisations should not be increased arbitrarily under any circumstances and therefore, amount payable shall be the same as in 2012.

The creation of the new system of ‘dealership’ by underground groups has been strongly condemned. For instance, it was pointed out that under this latest innovation to milk businesses dry, there is only one poultry dealer/supplier in the whole of Dimapur district and no poultry can be sold in the open market without the consent of this poultry dealer.

It can be noted here that the ACAUT had met the NSCN-IM, the NSCN-Khole/Kitovi and others on the issue.

ACAUT had also listed some other factors that cause to price rise which include DMC toll gates, police check gates, Deopani sand syndicate, Vegetable syndicate, Pan patta syndiacate, Cement and hardware syndicate, Fish and dry fish syndicate, Egg syndicate, Dry supari syndicate, Second hand clothes syndicate, Poultry product vendor union and Butcher vendor union.

The list is not exhaustive. To tackle taxation on a wider scale ACAUT will further pursue to form a fact finding committee to study and compare price of commodities in Nagaland and Assam. It will also meet the state chief minister and the governor and also submit representation to judiciary of Dimapur district.

The sale of all syndicate controlled poultry products including local chicken is henceforth banned throughout the state indefinitely, starting June 18. Anyone found selling poultry shall be doing so at their own risk. This ban shall stay in force till the price comes down to an acceptable level on par with neighbouring Assam, according to ACAUT.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/02/acaut-reaffirms-october-31-2013-stand-on-underground-tax/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=acaut-reaffirms-october-31-2013-stand-on-underground-tax

IMPHAL, February 3: Any misconduct while selecting the beneficiaries of the National Food Security scheme will attract penalty, said state deputy chief minister Gaikhangam today.

Addressing a discussion on the National Food Security Act for Tamenglong, deputy chief minister Gaikhangam said that there is an important clause in the Act, which enforces a penalty for any misconduct in the selection of beneficiaries.

The discussion was held at the Classic Hotel.

He said the scheme has been implemented as the Indian government believes in provision of food for the hungry people.

The scheme aims at ‘no death due to hunger in the country’, he continued.

Further elaborating on the Act, the deputy chief minister observed that failure to successfully implement the act would be disastrous as any developmental work will collapse if the people remain hungry.

Elaborating on the criteria for the scheme, he said that anyone with even a four wheeler is not entitled to the provisions of the scheme.

Anyone who had wrongly entered their name in the beneficiary list should be corrected or rectified within 24 hours or else the family could face punishment, he said.

Gaikhangam further opined on the need for the people to fully understand the scheme for its successful implementation.

Successful implementation of the act in both the hills and the valley could result in improvement of lifestyle in the state, he observed.

For the successful implementation of the act in the district, the MLAs, ministers, officials, ADCs, etc have to take the initiative, he observed.

The discussion for the district is being conducted to help Tamenglong become one of the best districts of the state, he said.

DC Tamenglong C Arthur W said the district administration is trying to finalise the list of eligibility in the district.

He said unlike in other states, there is 87 percent coverage of the total population of the state under the scheme and as such tamenglong has the same coverage.

Elaborating further he said selection of beneficiaries in only one village- Kamai Village remains.

The district administration will wait for 10 days for the village to work on it, and hopefully by February 28, the list of beneficiaries for the district will be complete, he observed.

According to the official record Tamenglong district has 2286 villages covered all together with 2719 AAY families of which the number of beneficiaries selected are 19842.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/02/misconduct-in-beneficiary-selection-for-nfs-scheme-will-attract-penalty-gaikhangam/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=misconduct-in-beneficiary-selection-for-nfs-scheme-will-attract-penalty-gaikhangam

KANGPOKPI, February 3: The All Tribal Students` Union Manipur (ATSUM) led by its president Emboi Serto today kicked off a poster campaign at Senapati and Sadar Hills in connection with its proposed indefinite economic blockade in tribal-settled areas of Manipur beginning February 16.

The tribal student body also conducted an interaction program with various civil society organizations on the same issue.

Mentioned may be made that the apex body of all tribal students of the state ATSUM had recently declared an indefinite economic blockade in all tribal settled areas of the state if its long pending demands are not met at the earliest after the student body held a sit-in protest in front of MBC Church, Chingmeirong on Saturday.

 The tribal student body led by its president Emboi Serto today begins its poster campaign and interaction with CSOs of Senapati and Sadar Hills and declared its position as well.

At Senapati, various tribal civil body leaders show their concerned over the student body’s efforts and struggles for the cause of tribal people in the state and declared to announced sooner or later their supports and endorsement of ATSUM`s proposed agitation.

In the meantime, the student body received same responses at Kangpokpi from several civil bodies including Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills who assured to render its fullest cooperation while terming the student body’s demands “genuine as well as reasonable” in the interest of all tribal community in the state.

While declaring the position statement of the student body Emboi Serto asserted that ATSUM has been trying our best to convince the government to look in the affairs of the tribal communities on various issues and waited patiently for the Government to act and fulfilled its promises but rather the government has taken us for granted and has neglected our proposals for too long.

With regards to their demands the position statement issued by publicity wing of the student body said that ATSUM is seriously concern over the Government adamant denial of not making the Rules for Manipur Reservation of Vacancies in Post & Services (for SC & ST) Amendment Act 2007 while mentioning that PK Singh, commissioner DP and secretary to CM, in 2009 had promised the student body that rules will be pass in the next assembly but after several sessions, the government is yet to present the same for the assembly to discuss and pass the bill.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/02/atsum-kicks-off-poster-campaign-ahead-of-economic-blockade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=atsum-kicks-off-poster-campaign-ahead-of-economic-blockade