Pune: MLA Shirole Demands Tax Waiver For Hospitality And Fitness Industry
Mrunal Jadhav
Pune, 9th June 2021: The hotel, restaurant, gym and other industries (hospitality industry) have been hit financially for the last 1.5 years due to the Covid pandemic and lockdown imposed due to it. BJP MLA from Shivajinagar, Siddharth Shirole, has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding a waiver of tax.
“The hospitality and fitness industry has been the most hit by the pandemic. The lockdowns have meant that Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, Amusement Parks, Gyms and Fitness centres have barely been open for business in the two lockdowns. These businesses are very capital intensive and have high monthly expenditure in terms of rent, property taxes, license fees and fixed charges for commercial electricity meters”, MLA Shirole stated.
The hospitality & fitness industries has been the most hit by the pandemic. Lockdowns have meant that these establishments have barely been open for business in the last 15 months.
I have written to Hon CM @OfficeofUT ji seeking relief for property tax & other fixed charges. 1/5 pic.twitter.com/fN6w6foSB3— Siddharth Shirole (@SidShirole) June 9, 2021
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Adding to it he further said that it has been estimated that over three lakh families in Pune have had their livelihood affected by the temporary closure of these establishments. While many establishments will permanently shut down, most of them are hopeful to re-start their businesses as soon as we overcome the second wave and eventually the pandemic.
“On behalf of all owners, operators and employees of hospitality and fitness industry from Pune and across the state request you to urgently consider a waive-off of property taxes, government licence fees and fixed electricity charges for the period they have not been open and thus empower them to get back on their own feet”, Shirole said.
“Gujarat and other states have already taken similar decisions and handed a lifeline for these businesses, preventing mass unemployment and severe economic distress. I request you to extend the same towards the hospitality and fitness industry in Maharashtra”, demanded MLA Shirole in the letter.
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