Punjab govt decides to impose entry tax on cattle

BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab government has decided to impose entry tax on cattle in districts across the province.

The tax has been imposed on cattle movement as the government seeks to ban the functioning of cattle markets in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a local government source, the department has, through a circular, asked managing directors (MDs) of all cattle market management companies in the province to levy Rs500 and Rs100 per big and small cattle, respectively, on their inter-district entry on the instructions of Punjab cabinet’s Standing Committee on Finance and Development.

In the circular, the MDs have been directed to arrange a mode of tax recovery that must start from July 1 in their respective districts. They have been told that the levy would not be collected through contractors but companies’ own men to avoidany chances of exploitation of the cattle owners. They have been warned of action if they failed to follow the directions.

The Punjab government has issued orders to levy the district entry fee on cattle in view of the upcoming Eidul Azha when inter-district movement of sacrificial animals would be in full swing.

Several people involved in animal business whom this correspondent spoke to expressed concern over the imposition of the tax. They argued that they will have to pay in advance beforeentering a district regardless of whether their sacrificial animals were sold or not.

They also said that this action was tantamount to banning the inter-district movement of animals for Eid, which was an annual opportunity to boost their business. They appealed to the government to review the decision.

SPRAY DRIVE: A disinfection operation was carried out on Saturday under the supervision of District Emergency Officer Baqir Hussain of Rescue 1122 in several localities in the city under the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Muzzafar Khan Sial.

The disinfection was carried out in bazaars, new vegetable market, general bus stand Model Town A, Hashmi Garden, craft bazaar and others.