Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday opposed any move by the Centre to impose tax on agricultural income, saying that farmers face too many uncertainties.
He was responding to queries on the statement of a member of NITI Aayog, the Centre’s policy think tank, favouring tax on agricultural income. “There is no income if one considers the work done by members in the farmers’ families. Women and children in these families also work in the fields,” he said.
As Finance Minister, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had removed the income tax on coffee growers. “There used to be income tax on planters till I removed it,” he claimed.
Referring to BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa’s demand for loan waiver, Mr. Siddaramaiah said there was duplicity in the BJP’s stand on the issue. He said the RBI is not in favour of loan waiver, but the Centre has “paid for” the loan waiver in Uttar Pradesh. The Centre has provided financial assistance to U.P. under different heads to pay for the loan waiver, Mr. Siddaramaiah claimed.
Later in the day, Mr. Siddaramaiah assured employees of Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. that he would take up with the Centre the proposal to privatise the public sector undertaking. They met him at the Janaspandana programme.
The Centre has proposed to sell 26% of the 54% shares it currently holds. “If the government sells 26% to a private party, the management of the company will be handed over to the private investor along with the valuable assets and technology,” the federation representatives said in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister.
Officials pulled up
Pulling up the government officials for their apathy in attending to people’s problems, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the “delay in redressing grievances of the public was worse than taking bribe.”
