PANJIM: The government introduced an amendment to The Goa Tax on Infrastructure Bill in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that grants substantial concession to small scale industries on infrastructure tax.
The Goa Tax on Infrastructure (Second Amendment) Bill 2013 which was tabled by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar seeks to revise the infrastructure tax on buildings of small scale units/industries with only 25 per cent of tax in comparison to residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
“Since the industrial buildings units are facing initial hardship to establish, the cost of infrastructure tax is being seen as a major burden, and the government desires to review the provisions concerning the industrial buildings, so as to encourage the small scale industries’ growth,” reads the amendment.
The infrastructure tax has been levied from 2009 for various developments under residential, commercial and industrial zones. The amendment was executed on May 20, 2013 that enhanced the rate of tax across the board as well as amended the definitions of the floor area and included the concept of built up area. It had also included a number of other construction activities within the ambit of Goa Tax on Infrastructure Tax Act, 2013.
The second amendment which was tabled on Tuesday seeks to exclude the buildings of small scale industries from this hike.
