Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
New Delhi, April 30, 2013: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has assured the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of satisfactory solution of his demand for abolition of Wealth Tax on Agriculture lands within the urban periphery of Municipal limits.
Talking to the media persons here today, the Chief Minister informed that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh called him up late last evening assuring of satisfactory solution to his demand for rolling back of Wealth Tax on Agriculture land around the Urban areas. Responding positively to Badal’s request the Prime Minister apprised the former that he had already received a letter from him seeking latter’s personal intervention to roll back the wealth tax. It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had written a detailed DO letter to the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, all Members of Parliament besides Chief Minister’s of all the states across the country to evolve a consensus for the immediate withdrawal of Wealth Tax on Agriculture land. Apart from this the Chief Minister was also meeting the senior leaders of national and regional parties to mobilize a public opinion against the imposition of the Wealth tax to prevail upon the GoI to abolish it immediately.
However the Chief Minister unequivocally stated that Shiromani Akali Dal would firmly oppose the imposition of wealth tax and continue its endeavor till its logical conclusion thereby safeguarding the interests of the farmers.