PD Rai reiterates Income-Tax exemption for Old Settlers demand in Lok Sabha

GANGTOK, 24 July: Lok Sabha MP PD Rai demanded Income-Tax exemption for Old Settlers of Sikkim during the discussion on the Finance Bill in Lok Sabha today. A press communiqué received from his office informs that the Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, was present in the House when Mr. Rai raised the issue.
Informing the house about the special provisions under Article 371F of the Constitution, the MP reminded the Minister about the long pending demand of the State Government and the Sikkim Democratic Front seeking Income Tax exemption for all Old Settlers like is being enjoyed by the Sikkim Subjects and their descendents.
Mr. Rai also thanked Prime Minister Modi for making Organic Farming a policy agenda in the North-East and also appraised the Finance Minister about the need for a Biodiversity Institution in Sikkim, which he said can be linked to Sikkim University, the release adds.

High level committee constituted to pursue IT exemption for old settlers

GANGTOK, 29 Nov: The State Government, through a Gazette Notification published today, has constituted a high-level committee chaired by the Finance Secretary to pursue the Income Tax exemption demand of the old settlers of Sikkim.
The committee has Principal Secretary, Finance, Revenue & Expenditure Department, MG Kiran as chairman; and Secretary, Law Deptt, Lakchung Sherpa, and one member of the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim as members. Additional Secretary, Home, Tashi Cho Cho, has been appointed Member Secretary to this committee.
The term of reference of this committee is to “pursue the matter with the Union Government on behalf of the Old Settlers of Sikkim regarding exemption of Income tax to them”.
Sikkim Subjects and their descendents, it may be recalled, are exempted from paying Income Tax on incomes earned in Sikkim and old settlers of Sikkim have been demanding similar exemption.