Jaya seeks excise levy exemption in tsunami affected areas
Tuesday, June 7, 2005 : 1230 Hrs

Chennai, June 7 (UNI):Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today urged the Centre to issue a notification granting a 10-year-exemption from excise levies for excisable goods manufactured by the new industrial units to be set up in the tsunami affected districts of the state.

In a demi official letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday, copies of which were released to the press here today, she said this was necessary to promote growth and give a big push to revitalising the economy of the tsunami affected districts.

She pointed out that similar excise duty exemptions were given for industrial units in Kutch, Gujarat, after the massive earthquake in January 2001 and to Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal to accelerate the pace of industrial development.

She sought the personal intervention of the Prime Minister for issuing a notification for granting exemption from excise levies for a period of ten years from the date of commercial production on all excisable goods manufactured by the new industrial units established within three years from the date of notification.

Ms Jayalalithaa also urged Mr Singh to intervene to grant exemption from excise levies on steel, cement, pipes and other construction materials and equipment used for establishing new industrial units and building infrastructure like ports and roads for a period of three years in the tsunami affected districts of the State.

These measures would attract large scale investments from Corporate industrial houses to restore and improve the infrastructural facilities and establish new industrial units in the tsunami battered districts.

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu.