PCB, KCB write to Centre for more than Rs 200 cr arrears

The cantonment boards in Pune have written to the Central Government, asking it to dispense with their pending service charges amounting to more than a hundred crores for each board. The Boards have been raising their voices against the abolition of vehicle entry tax (VET) and local body tax (LBT), after the recent introduction of the Goods and Services Tax across the country.

But now, they have also sought their rightful compensation for service charges as well. An official with the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) said, The board is not ready to face such a huge amount of loss. More than Rs 200 crore is still pending. Now, we have written to the Centre about this. We are waiting for the money to reach us. There is a clear distinction between the municipal corporations and the cantonment boards in the country. The funds allotted to us are far lesser than our municipal counterparts, yet we are expected to work with equal amount of efficiency.

The chief executive officer of Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) also acknowledged the cash crunch, saying, The matter is now pending at a much higher level in the central government. This is not a local matter anymore. Cantonment boards across the nation have been collectively writing for adequate compensation. More than Rs 90 crore is pending and we will have to wait for further instructions.

PCB and KCB will now be staring at an approximate loss of Rs 100 crore annually after the abolition of taxes, which the officials claim will affect the revenue drastically.

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Cantt boards demand pending service charges - Pune Mirror