Amusement tax slash urged

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 26: Members of the Indian Association of Amusement Park and Industries (IAAPI) have urged the state government to slash the amusement tax here, to develop the sector. The IAAPI general secretary, Mr Arijit Sengupta, said they had posted a letter to the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, on the issue, which has now been forwarded to the state finance department. At a Press conference here today, Mr Sengupta said: “The state amusement tax is higher than that in states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The government should consider lowering the entertainment tax rate, with a motive to develop the sector, which is an integral part of the tourism industry.” “The state entertainment tax rate is 20 per cent, whereas the tax rate in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu is 10 per cent,” Mr Sengupta said. Mr Ravi Bhatia, IAAPI chairman, eastern region, and its vice-chairman, eastern region, Mr Sanjoy Maheswari, said Maharashtra scrapped the tax five years ago to develop the industry. Mr Sengupta said the last few years have witnessed a record investment of Rs 3,000 crore in the sector. Highlighting the problems created by the high entertainment tax, Mr Sengupta, who is also the director of Nicco Park, said two water parks were closed down at Howrah and Behala recently. Mr Sengupta explained that the maintenance cost of these parks was high as the water had to be treated regularly for public health and hygiene. To follow the set of international standards for the parks’ upkeep, he stressed that it was necessary for the government to slash the entertainment tax. Mr Sengupta said: “IAAPI members had visited Malda’s water park. Mr Ranjan Pasak and others are satisfied with its maintenance. It was the first park to be set up in this district.” He said that soon, another water park will come up in the Siliguri region.