Kolkata: Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development (P&RD) minister Pradip Mazumdar has made it clear that no extra tax should be levied on the common people by the Gram Panchayats (GP). The directions by the minister came in the backdrop of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent remarks, in which she stated that all municipalities must strictly adhere to the single window tax system and no separate or unauthorised tax should be tolerated. She had also warned of strict action against any violation. Mazumdar, while addressing a state-level programme on Mission Nirmal Bangla on Friday, referred to the statement made by the Chief Minister and asked rural bodies’ representatives who attended the meeting from across the state to keep a careful eye to ensure that no extra or unauthorised tax is levied upon the common people.
The minister further clarified that the issue of taxation has nothing to do with developing proper infrastructure for solid and liquid waste management. He maintained that there is availability of sufficient funds - to the tune of Rs 2,700 crore, for waste management and the Centre has given the nod to utilise a part of the funds under the 15th Finance Commission for work associated with waste management, responding positively to the state’s plea in this regard. According to the minister, in this backdrop, funds should not be a constraint in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene and setting up toilets. The state government provides Rs 12,000 for the construction of a toilet under a Panchayat area on receipt of applications, of which Rs 5,000 is provided in advance. However, from now on, this advance amount will be Rs 6,000, said Becharam Manna, minister of state (MoS) for the P&RD department. Besides Mazumdar and Manna, MoS Seuli Saha, Secretary P Ulaganathan and Mission Nirmal Bangla in-charge Santosha G R were present at the programme. Ulaganathan instructed the ground-level officials to go for a door-to-door campaign on proper waste management.