State commerce chambers adopt tough stand

Most of them felt that enough time had been given to the state government to find an alternative to the levy, but precious little was done, and expressed the view that they should settle for nothing less than abolition of octroi.

When they pressed for chalking out an action plan to register their protest, Shah intervened saying the government be given some time. He told the meeting that he was in touch with Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, who gave the impression that his government was serious about the issue.

Still, the meeting decided to ask the action committee to chalk out programme after giving the state government time till January 15 to take the final decision in principle. They said that programmes like chakka jam, no tax agitation and Gujarat bandh could be given as a mark of protest.

Some representatives pointed out that units located within notified areas were also unhappy with the surcharge on sales tax. Shah said he had asked them to suggest an alternative but none of them had come forward.

member. Patel said the Government had taken possession of 200 acres in Gandhinagar to set up a hi-tech Infocity and the foundation stone was expected to be laid in January. The GIDC, as a nodal agency, will take up infrastructure works by the month end.

Vasani said the Government had also initiated the process of producing software, and entered into an agreement with US-based Patni Computer System Ltd to set up a software development centre in Gandhinagar and start the first-phase production at the Gandhinagar electronics estate in February-March.

This company, figuring in the world’s top 10 software exporters, would engage some 1,200 trained professionals in its export-oriented software project, Vasani said, adding the government was receiving inquiries for software industrial units in Vadodara with the data communication line established between Ahmedabad and that city.