Urban News

The Hindu 11.02.2010

Sanitation workers in GVMC paying IT

G.V. Prasada Sarma

VISAKHAPATNAM: With yet another Union Budget approaching, the salariat and the corporate sector are abuzz with speculation over tax proposals.

The sanitation workers in the Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation are also a worried lot since their tax burden may go up. As it is, they are paying a tax of Rs.61 on their wage of Rs.2,886 a month, excluding PF and ESI.

The income tax is being deducted at source from their wages since 2007. During their inspection the IT officials found that tax was not deducted on the wages of the sanitary workers paid through about 375 residents’ welfare associations (RWAs). Under Section 194 (C) of the Income Tax Act societies have to pay income tax if a bill payment exceeded Rs.20,000 or an annual payment Rs.50,000. Since then, the monthly income tax is being deducted from the meagre wages of over 5,000 workers, according to P. Venkat Reddy, President of Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation Employees’ Union.

The union has been urging the corporation to either get an exemption or pay the tax itself. The issue came up for discussion during talks with GVMC officials in 2008 and 2009 but no action has been taken, he alleges.

The practice of deducting IT has also been going on in other civic bodies in the State, he says.

The RWAs have to get themselves registered under the Societies Act to claim tax exemption as they are paying wages to sanitation workers for services rendered, says a Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation official when contacted. Alternately, they can get a Permanent Account Number, file returns and get the refund which they can distribute among individual workers.

But the GVMC is in no position to insist upon the RWAs on the tax issue. RWAs are voluntary associations formed for public-private participation in sanitation work and are unwilling to take upon themselves additional tasks.

Come April 1, the tax deducted will be 20 per cent if PAN number is not furnished, according to an IT Department Circular. Thus the tax burden for poor sanitation workers will go up.

The Hindu 10.02.2010

Anti-mosquito drive in Puducherry from today

Staff Reporter

PUDUCHERRY: With the one-week anti-mosquito drive beginning on Wednesday, local bodies in Puducherry have planned to take up various measures to control breeding. These include creating awareness of vector-borne diseases and field-level work to control sources of breeding.

Commissioner of the Puducherry Municipality D. Asokan said that the local body has planned Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to educate people on vector-borne diseases and importance of avoiding water stagnation in their areas.

“A special sitting of the council was held on Tuesday. We will be distributing pamphlets to the public. Comprehensive measures will be taken to control mosquito breeding sources with the help of the Departments of Health and Public Works,” he said.

The municipality would undertake fogging activities and also spray larvicide in the wards. Cleaning of “L” and “U” drains would also be taken up, while the Public Works Department would carry out desilting works at canals, Mr. Asokan said.

Municipal councillors along with non-governmental organisations would create awareness of the need to keep the surroundings free of water stagnation, Mr. Asokan said.

The Villianur commune panchayat would press into service a power spraying machine in each of the 18 panchayats coming in its limits. A person would be engaged to carry out regular spraying works during the week-long drive.

“We will also clean minor drains and carry out spraying works. This will be supervised by officials of the commune,” an official said.