EMN
Dimapur, April 8
Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland today urged the State Chief Secretary to take immediate remedial measures against all deductions related to various ‘Naga political groups’ (NPGs), saying taxation demand in any form entails harassment for the government employees and in the new financial year 2015-16, the ACAUT will again resort to movement against unabated taxation. Media Cell, ACAUT Nagaland in a statement pointed out that there are 120,000 odd government servants in the State, and a ‘serious’ chunk of the NPGs’ budget comes ironically from the government sector. “This has to be stopped.”
The ACAUT reminded the Chief Secretary that all deductions related to NPGs are carried out by the DDOs (Drawal and Disbursing Officers).
“As per ACAUT field verification report, many of the DDOs have a vested interest in deducting the salaries of government employees- 24%- since they get to keep a share of the deducted amount. In many cases, the DDOs simply deduct the amount even without receiving tax notice from the NPGs. Strict circular should be issued cautioning the DDOs against this practice.”
“All NPGs demand 5% development tax from the departments on their annual works programme. This is an area where hundreds of crores of rupees for the coffers of the NPGs is realised from the developmental departments. 5% tax demand on the annual works programme is having serious ramification on the ability of the departments to carry out developmental works in a free and transparent manner. In many cases, the NPG cadres know exactly the amount to be made as payment to the contractors/firms, down to paisa level, even before the HoDs/Chief Engineers/Executive Engineers are aware of it. This necessarily points to collusion between point persons in the concerned dispersing department and the cadres. This 5% tax is more often than not paid at the HoD level, sometimes at lesser percentage through negotiation. If not paid by HoDs, it is definitely extracted from the contractors/firms. The Chief Secretary is to take serious note of this.”
The ACAUT urged the Chief Secretary to notify that in case tax demand is received, the HoDs or the Head of Offices at the districts shall report the matter immediately to the DCs and SPs. Thereafter, the DCs and SPs shall make a report and submit to the Chief Secretary.
“All the District Planning and Development Boards (DPDB) headed by the DCs should be directed to resolve that no tax shall be paid by any departments to any of the NPGs. Also, the DCs of the districts should regularly interact with the Chamber of Commerce/Traders Unions of the district in order to assess better the situation on the ground. Any DDO found deducting salaries or developmental fund should be prosecuted.”
The ACAUT said, during the course of its investigation, it found that most government servants have stopped paying tax to the various NPGs.
“While it is heartening that such is in line with the clarion call of the movement against unabated taxation, yet, the ACAUT cannot fathom why the government, supposed to protect its own employees, cannot issue an order against deduction of 24% of its employee salaries or 5% tax on development fund as payment to the NPGs?. Since the formation of ACAUT in 2013, a procession of Chief Secretaries has come and gone, yet, none did address the issue of taxation, as highlighted above, which is a direct affront to the Government of Nagaland. For all intent and purposes, the government servants have been left exposed to helplessly fend for themselves.”
