Increase taxable amount limit: CITU

Warangal: The leaders of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) district unit have demanded the BJP-led NDA government to raise the income tax limit to benefit the salaried sections in the country. The CITU leaders wanted the Centre to increase the limit of taxable amount to Rs 10 lakh.

In support of their demand, they staged an agitation here on Thursday and submitted a memorandum to the District Revenue Officer, K Shoba. Speaking to press persons on the occasion, the organisation district general secretary Ch Chukkaiah complained that the recent budget introduced by the Centre was against the interests of the working class and common public.

On the other hand, the budget favoured the big industrialists and corporate houses. None of the 10 demands put forth by the trade unions across the country on September 2 in 2015 were considered by the Centre while tabling the budget in the parliament. But the BJP government has offered benefits worth Rs 5 lakh crore to industrialists, which indicate the Centre’s pro-corporate policy at the cost of common people.

The BJP leaders during 2014 elections have claimed that country could be run without levying income tax. However, after coming into power at Centre, the BJP government has not even increased the income tax limit, Chukkaiah complained. He also wanted the regularisation of services of scheme workers and fix minimum wage at Rs 18,000 per month.

Further, the CITU demanded extension of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to urban areas, steps to strengthen public distribution system, social security measures for 49 crore workers in unorganised sector. CITU district secretary Botla Chakrapani, AITUC district general secretary Panasa Prasad, leaders G Ramesh, A Krishna and others were present. If the government fails to address the issues, the working class would take up nationwide strike, they warned.