02032023-CT-01.qxd 3/2/2023 12:35 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune CITY CONG, AAP PROTEST INCREASE IN LPG PRICES CITY’S YUVRAJ TIED 45TH ON DAY 1 OF GUJARAT GOLF MEET MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO BOOKED IN HIT-&-DRAG CASE The City Congress and AAP protest the hike in the rates of domestic and commercial LPG cylinders. P2 Anshul Patel of Ahmedabad, Patna’s Aman Raj fire 6-under 66 to emerge joint first round leaders. P2 Police book a mother-daughter duo for voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint and rash driving. P3 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 106 PANCHKULA 51 MOHALI 70 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD POWER SHUTDOWN MOHALI 9 am to 5 pm: The power supply to the Kajauli waterworks will be affected due to half-yearly maintenance work at the Kharar substation. The normal power supply will also be affected at Gillco, Ansal, Kajauli, Gharuan, Morinda, Badali Teur, CET Gharuan and PTL from 9 am to 5 pm on Thursday. WATER SUPPLY ALERT Chandigarh: Water supply will remain normal in the morning on Thursday, while there will be low supply from 6 pm to 8 pm. There will be no evening water supply to Sectors 44, 45, 48 to 56, 61, 63 and partial supply to Waterworks, Sector 32. On Friday, there will be normal water supply from 5 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 8.30 pm. TNS INBRIEF MAN STABBED NEAR GMCH-32 CHOWK Chandigarh: A resident of Dadu Majra was stabbed by two persons near the GMCH chowk in Sector 32. The victim, Rahul, reported that he, along with his friend, was returning from Zirakpur when the two persons, allegedly identified as Bheem of Dadu Majra and Manu of Sector 25, stabbed him in the thigh and the stomach. The complainant’s friend, with the help of a passer-by, rushed the victim to the GMCH-32. The police have registered a case against the suspects at the Sector 34 police station and started investigation. TNS Youth robbed of cash, cellphone Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 1 Two motorcycle-borne persons robbed a pedestrian of Rs 5,000 and a mobile phone near the Bapu Dham light point this morning. The 19-year-old victim, Shivpratap Yadav, a resident of Shastri Nagar, Mani Majra, reported he worked at the vegetable market, Sector 26. He was on his way to the vegetable market when two persons on a bike approached him near the light point. They called him Tinku. When Shivpratap told them that he Continued on page 2 New Excise Policy:Whisky rates to be almost same, beer to get dearer by ~10 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 1 To bring uniformity with Panchkula and Mohali, the timings for the retail sale of liquor in the city have been extended by an hour till midnight, instead of 11 pm. The UT Administration today approved the new Excise Policy for 2023-24. According to the policy, excise duties on all types of liquor have been kept the same as the present policy. The exact rates would be determined after the allotment of liquor vends, said a contractor, adding that there might be a slight increase in the rates of selected categories of liquor. The quota of India made foreign liquor (IMFL), country liquor (CL) and imported foreign liquor (IFL) has been kept unchanged. Quarterly quota lifting quantities have been eased based on suggestions by stakeholders. Ease of doing business For a healthy competition in the market and to promote ease of doing business, the entire basic quota of country NO LEASING OUT OF BOTTLING PLANTS The leasing out of bottling plants will not be allowed from this policy year. However, hours of operations of the plants for dispatches have been increased to 9 am-6 pm. TRACK-&-TRACE TO CURB ILLEGAL SALE A track-and-trace system will be introduced during this policy year to curb the illegal sale of liquor. PENALTY KEPT STRINGENT Penalty for non-maintenance of minimum rates by retail vends has been kept stringent with the closure of a retail vend for three days for each detected violation. liquor has been kept open and to be supplied to the retailers as per their choice of bottling plant and brand. To encourage new entrants in the IFL segment, the condition that brand owning company can issue a authorisation letter to a maximum of five persons/licensees has been dispensed with. Now, the brand owning companies can issue authorisation letters to any number of licensees. Also, the condition of having a custom-bonded warehouse only NO LEVY HIKE FOR LOW ALCOHOLIC DRINKS To promote low alcoholic drinks, licence fees and duties have not been increased on beer, wine, RTD (Ready to Drink), etc. There has been a marginal increase in the minimum retail sale price of the beer (~10). For other categories of liquor, even the MRSP has been kept unchanged. The rates of beer are likely to be increased. in Chandigarh has been removed and now, such warehouses can be located anywhere in the country. To facilitate the stakeholders and to minimise the time in approval of label/ brand registration, an online facility of Admn to lay 38 km of new cycle tracks in city this year Chandigarh, March 1 The Mayor is going to resolve various issues cropping up in the procurement of fire safety no-objection certificate (NOC). Anup Gupta told Chandigarh Tribune that there were some traders, who were meeting from seven to eight norms, but had been pointed out objection to one, such as not meeting watertanker specifications. They were not being issued the NOC on account of that one norm or the other. “We will sit with all stakeholders, including traders and officials, to resolve such issues. If the need be, we will also hold awareness campaigns in markets,” said the Mayor. Gupta today visited Sector 28 where a fire broke out in the basement of a shop-cumoffice two days ago. He was accompanied by Dalip Sharma, local councillor, and the officers concerned of the MC. The Mayor also interacted with the representatives of Continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 1 To increase property tax coverage, the Municipal Corporation is analysing the data sent by the UT Engineering Department of about 2.15 lakh households having electricity connections. The information provided by the department only includes house number and power connection. The MC said at present, there were about 1.50 lakh property owners who were supposed to pay the property tax. The civic body will now identify who all among the power users are mandated to pay the tax, following which it For this year, cow cess has been reduced from the Continued on page 2 UT registers 5% GST growth in February Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 1 After witnessing a record jump in December, the gross goods and services tax (GST) collection for February witnessed an increase of just 5% in the city against the revenue generated during the corresponding period in 2022. According to the Ministry of Finance, the collection for February stood at Rs 188 crore, Rs 10 crore more than Rs 178 crore collected during the same month in 2022. After witnessing a marginal fall in November 2022, the gross GST collection in December last year jumped to 33% against the revenue generated during the corresponding period in 2021. The collection for December 2022 stood at Rs 218 crore, Rs 54 crore more than Rs 164 crore collected during the same month in 2021. For the first time this fiscal, the gross GST collection for November had dropped by 3% in comparison to the revenue earned during the same month in 2021. The collection stood at Rs 175 crore, which was Rs 5 crore lower than Rs 180 crore collected during the same month in 2021. In October last year, the UT had registered 28% growth in GST collection, which stood at Rs 203 crore, Rs 45 crore higher than Rs 158 crore collected during corresponding period in 2021. In September 2022, the UT saw a 35% jump in GST collection at Rs 206 crore, Rs 54 crore higher than Rs 152 crore revenue generated in the previous year. In May last year, an increase of 29% in collection was seen as the city generated Rs 167 crore, Rs 37 crore more than Rs 130 crore mopped up during the same period in 2021. In April 2022, the collection saw a 22% jump. The UT had generated Rs 249 crore revenue against Rs 203 crore collected during the same month the previous year. In March 2022, the tax receipts stood at Rs 184 crore, 11% higher than Rs 165 crore received during the corresponding period in 2021. A growth of 20 per cent was seen in February, with collections of Rs 178 crore, up from Rs 149 crore collected during the same month last year. The Finance Ministry did not release the state-wise data for January this year. Chandigarh, March 1 The UT Adviser, Dharam Pal, today reviewed the status of the cycle tracks and the proposed green corridors/cycle tracks in the city. Chief Engineer CB Ojha gave a detailed presentation regarding the existing condition of the cycle tracks, the new ones proposed to be laid this year and action plan for the upkeep and maintenance of the tracks. As per the action plan, the 45 km of tracks will be re-carpeted within the stipulated time. The construction of 38 km of new cycle tracks is to be undertaken this year. The Chief Engineer highlighted the independent survey conducted by a Chandigarh cycling community, Cyclegiri, which has been taken into consideration before improving the condition of cycle tracks. The department has also prepared a map by geo-tagging Work on two non-motorised transport green corridors, one of 8 km along the N-Choe, will be undertaken this year. FILE PHOTO all existing cycle tracks. Work on two non-motorised transport green corridors (NMT) to be undertaken this year, the construction of the first one of 8 km along the NChoe will be taken up at once so as to ensure a safe cycling experience in the city. Disposal of household waste water and unauthorised openings at the back of houses were highlighted as major issues by the officials. The respective stakeholders have decided to take action against repeat offenders. Nitin Yadav, Transport Secretary; Anindita Mitra, MC Commissioner; Vinay Pratap Singh, Deputy Commissioner; Yaspal Garg, CEO, Chandigarh Housing Board; Manisha Chaudhary, SSP were also present at , the meeting. Tribune News Service MC to bring more owners within property tax ambit Sandeep Rana Cow cess reduced, clean air cess to be levied FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Will resolve fire NOC issue: Mayor Tribune News Service label registration has been introduced and the same will now be approved by the Collector (Excise). A simplified procedure for renewal of registrations of already registered brands/labels has been incorporated in the online portal. The allotment of retail vends of liquor will be made through the e-tendering system for more transparency. However, the EMD (earnest money deposit) has been reduced to half for a better participation in bids. To promote the ease of doing business, new bar licensees (L3/L-4/L-5) will be required only 50% of the annual licence fee in case the licence is granted after September 30. The provision for additional two hours for bar operations up to 3 am have been kept in the new policy as well. In the present policy, the bars and restaurants have to avail themselves of the two-hour extension by paying extra fee. MAX 30°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 29.8°C | MIN 15.3°C SUNRISE FRIDAY 6.47 AM TWITTER/THETRIBUNECHD City liquor vends to remain open till midnight, bars up to 3 am PARTLY CLOUDY SUNSET THURSDAY 6.21 PM » THURSDAY | 2 MARCH 2023 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST Studies power connection data, to send notices this month 1,02,486 Property owners paid tax (1.50L owners are supposed to pay levy, according to MC) ~66.79cr Highest-ever collection this financial year so far ~17.27cr Residential ~49.52 cr Commercial will serve property tax notices within a month on those who are not yet covered under the tax. The MC had earlier received from the UT Estate Office the details of 36,000 property owners. It was found these owners had water connections but were not paying the property levy. The MC is tallying who among them are liable to pay the property tax. “We have just got information on the power connections from the UT Engineer- ing Department. We are now comparing it with our data base of property tax. As far as Estate Office’s data on property owners is concerned, there is some mismatch. Some have water connections, but are not paying the c m y b property tax. We are analysing the whole data. Those who are supposed to pay the levy will start getting notices this month,” said Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra while talking to Chandigarh Tribune. The corporation has collected the highest-ever Rs 66 crore in property tax this financial year so far. According to the civic body, it has collected Rs 17.27 crore in residential tax and Rs 49.52 crore in commercial tax. In the current financial year, 1,02,486 property owners paid the tax. Others have been served notices or their properties attached (commercial connection). The police lathicharge protesters as they try to march towards the Haryana CM’s residence, in Panchkula on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: NITIN MITTAL Commuters harried as P’kula road blocked for six hours 30 hurt during lathicharge on protesting panches, sarpanches Tribune News Service 25 POLICEMEN INJURED, CASE REGISTERED Panchkula, March 1 Commuters had a tough time as the main road of the city leading to the housing board chowk remained blocked for more than six hours due to a massive protest by panches and sarpanches from across Haryana. The police had closed the road from the Sector 8-17 roundabout to the housing board chowk from 12 noon in view of the protest. Local commuters had to take a detour from the Command Hospital light point to reach their destinations. The protesters started gathering at the Shalimar ground in Sector 5 from 10 am moving towards the Chandigarh-Panchkula border at 12 noon. They were stopped by the police at the sector 8-17 roundabout. The protesters were informed that OSD to CM Bhupeshwar Dayal would be coming to hold talks with them. As Dayal did A police spokesman said the protesters were informed about the Section 144 imposed, but they did not heed to their advice and attacked police personnel with stones. He said around 25 policemen were injured in the incident. The police have registered a case against the protesters under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 332, 353 325, 186, 188 and 283 of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 14 police station. not reach the site on time, the protesters continued their march. The police tried to stop them and a clash ensued, forcing the latter to resort to lathicharge. More than 30 protesters were injured. Meanwhile, Dayal reached the border to hold talks with the protesters. However, they were adamant on the withdrawal of the e-tendering policy. After their negotiations with Dayal failed, the police again lathicharged the protesters for more than 20 minutes. President of the Haryana Sarpanch Association Ranbir Singh Samain said the Haryana Government had made e-tendering mandato- ry for works worth more than 2 lakh this year and they had decided to oppose it tooth and nail. He said in such a situation, a Sarpanch cannot build even one street drain at his level. The elected representatives were being made slaves of officers. He also demanded the right to recall the MLAs. Samain said the agitation would continue until their demands were met. Aam Aadmi Party leader Naveen Jaihind said a Sarpanch was like the Chief Minister of the village and if he did not have budget, how would he develop it? He said that through e-tendering, private companies would get contracts, which would lead to corruption and new problems.