What happens to LBT?

It was anticipated that a decision on the Local Body Tax (LBT) would soon be taken during Chief Minister (CM) Prithviraj Chavan's meeting with the mayors and municipal commissioners of various corporations across the state. Pune mayor Chanchala Kodre and Pune Muncipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Vikas Deshmukh had represented the Pune region. The representatives of the traders communities from the state were also present for the meeting. The representatives from each corporation across the state was given a chance to give their suggestions. The CM also calculated the LBT amount received from each corporation. However, despite long deliberations, no consensus was reached on the issue.

The traders' community across the state has been opposing the LBT ever since it had been implemented in the state. Before the Lok Sabha elections in April, the traders' community in Pune had announced that it would vote for the party which would abolish the LBT. Now with the state assembly elections approaching, the community is hoping that the LBT will be an election issue, and that the state government will suggest an alternative taxation scheme.

Speaking to dna after the meeting, Popat Ostwal, president of Federation of Traders Associations of Pune (FTAP) said, " We had given proposal to the state government to scrap the LBT and impose an additional surcharge on the Value Added Tax (VAT). While the government officials gave a proposal to reintroduce the octroi in place of the LBT or the entry tax on goods, they were not implemented. Neither of the sides agree on each other's proposal. Now we will be deciding our next course of action on June 15."