Pondy govt to keep in abeyance hike in municipal taxes on

The Puducherry government today announced its decision to keep in abeyance the hike in municipal taxes levied on shops and also the increase in cleaning charges and other levies with immediate effect.
A joint meeting of officials of the municipalities and commune panchayats, representatives of the trade bodies held today decided to keep in abeyance the hike in taxes, PWD and Local Administration Minister A Namassivayam said in a release.
"The status quo ante would be restored and the levies as per the earlier tariff alone would be collected," he said.
The increase in taxes was announced earlier by the territorial government.

On the decision of a section of traders to observe a bandh on February 20 to protest the hike in the taxes, the Minister said, "This is a politically-motivated decision although the government had taken a decision to keep the increase in taxes in abeyance."
He also said he would appeal to the traders going ahead with their plan to observe the bandh to drop the agitation in larger interest of wellbeing of the people, he added.