UP CM directs officials to monitor inflation; punish guilty

Lucknow, Apr 6 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh government today directed all Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates to minister the rising inflation and take stringent action against those charging high rates under the VAT regime.

The state government had noted that there was an irrational rise in the essential commodities price and in some places VAT was being misused by charging higher prices, though after implementation of VAT the tax rate on 436 commodities had decreased, while the same remained unchanged on 1,376 articles. There was hardly any increase in the prices of daily use items.

The state government had also exempted from VAT commodities of daily use like-- atta,maida, suji, besan, gur, khandsari, bura, jowar, bajra, makka, jau, daliya, honey, lamps and Kerosine lanterns The tax rate on edible oils, vanaspati, refined oil, pulses, tea, kitchen utensils, matches, hosiery, milk food, sweets, namkeen, spices, jam, jelly etc was decreased, whereas on the remaining food grains, the tax rate was kept same as earlier.

Thus, after VAT, the prices of the commodities should have been reduced.

The government has directed the divisional commissioners and DMs to constantly monitor the rising prices and if artificial shortage, stocking or incorrect realisation of taxes was detected, then punitive action should be initiated against the defaulters under the law.

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