GCCI upset over higher excise duty on liquor

Panaji: Reacting to the state budget for the financial year 2020-21, presented by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Thursday gave its nod of approval to proposals relating to information technology (IT) incubators and skill development centres aimed at providing skills for employment at the Mopa airport but said that it disagreed with higher excise duty on liquor.

The proposal to develop the South Goa District Hospital as a medical college on PPP mode also got the thumbs up from GCCI. “Besides providing quality healthcare to South Goa, it will help in creating the much-needed medical seats for aspiring Goan youth,” said president of GCCI Manoj Caculo.

The president of the trade body, however, cautioned against the proposal to set up an integrated inspection plaza at all the major entry points to the state for verifying goods for their quantity and quality. “We hope that it does not negate the gain of GST, as one of the positive outcomes of the tax regime is the seamless movement of goods across various state borders,” said Caculo.

On the increase in licence fees for liquor outlets and bars and restaurants, GCCI said that it is likely to affect tourism. “In case of the real estate sector, it is already under stress and the increase in land rates and stamp duty will result in hiking of the real estate prices,” said Caculo. Prior to the budget, the Chief Minister had invited suggestions and inputs from the industry. According to GCCI, many of the suggestions made by it have been included in the budget. “GCCI had proposed introduction of settlement scheme to expedite the legacy assessments and recovery of arrears in litigated cases pending at appellate and various courts under the earlier laws of VAT, CST, luxury tax, entry tax and entertainment tax and we are happy to see that this has been accepted,” said Caculo.