Uttar Pradesh: raw leather tax abolished
The Uttar Pradesh government in India has abolished the ‘Mandi Parishad’ tax on raw hides, following representations made by leather manufacturers.
The UP government had, through an order in 2006, suspended the tax levy five years ago. But with the five-year relaxation period expiring on March 31 this year, the UP Mandi Parishad once again, not only levied the tax rates afresh, but has also demanded the repayment of arrears.
RK Jalan, chairman of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) told local media that the Council had tried informing the government that this would worsen the condition of the leather industry in the state and had therefore asked for it to be lifted.
“The leather industry in UP provides direct employment to around one million people in the state,” he said. “The country on the whole stands to benefit if we get better and bigger export orders from the international market,” he said.
