The Commercial Tax Department completed a reorganisation a few months ago, creating two additional circles in Coimbatore and shifting Tiruppur to Erode division. The industry here fears that it will affect the small-scale tax payers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts.
Coimbatore division earlier had 45 circles, covering Tiruppur too. For the last six months, Tiruppur, having nine circles, had been shifted to Erode division. Coimbatore division now had 38 circles, two of which were created as part of the reorganisation exercise. This was mainly to streamline work, said an official of the Department.
J. James, president of the Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Tiny Enterprises, said the industry was unaware of this move.
“Since we pay the taxes online, we did not know that there was a change. But, if there is a problem, small-scale tax payers will be left in the lurch. They will have to travel to Erode for any clarification or grievance. It will create a difficult situation for the tax payers,” he says.
Areas such as Sulur, Palladam, and Karumathampatti that were earlier part of Tiruppur now come under Erode division.
“Is it easier for an industry owner in Sulur to travel to Coimbatore city or go to Erode,” asks R. Ramamoorthy, president of Coimbatore District Small Industries Association.
The Association will take it up with the government and areas in Coimbatore district should be covered by the Coimbatore division of Commercial Tax. There is no logic for such a reorganisation. The industry was neither consulted nor informed about it, he alleges.
The Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, has also taken it up with the State government.
Inconvenience
According to V. Lakshminarayanswamy, president of the Chamber, moving tax payers in Sulur or Tiruppur to Erode division creates a lot of inconvenience to the assessees. Even those in Tiruppur have better connection with Coimbatore compared to Erode. So they should be brought again under Coimbatore jurisdiction, he said.
