22 municipal corporations to go on strike from Apr 7

Mumbai, Mar 27 (UNI) Representatives of 22 municipal corporations of Maharashtra have decided to go on strike from mid-night of April 7 to protest against the abolition of Octroi, if the government fails to consider their demand by that time.

Maharashtra Rajya Mahanagarpalika-Nagarpalika Kamgar Sanghtana Convenor Sharad Rao told UNI that representatives of 22 municipal corporations today met Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil.

Mr Deshmukh assured them that before taking any decision on the abolition of Octroi, the Government will discuss it with the representatives of municipal corporations.

However, he said, ''We are going to abolish Octroi from the state.'' Mr Rao said Octroi is the main source of revenue of the corporation and its abolition will affect the social development of the respective corporation.

However, in the budget, the Government had announced that Octroi will be replaced by cess in 15 municipal corporations, which come under ''D'' category of the corporation.

The revenue of the corporation from Octroi is over Rs 1,000 crore, which increases by 15 to 20 per cent every year, he added.

UNI ST NM VD RS1752