VAT on tobacco, mobile phones, edible oil hiked

The Assembly on Wednesday adopted 14 bills on a host of subjects, including amendment to the Tamil Nadu Value Added Tax (VAT) Act, 2006, which provides for increased taxation on tobacco varieties and mobile phones.
Four bills were adopted to amend the VAT to facilitate a number of measures, which include a hike in tax on edible oil, tobacco products, mobile phones, iPods, DVDs and CDs.
The tax on tobacco products were raised from 12.5 per cent to 14.5 per cent, and by one per cent on edible oil and two per cent on mobile phones.
Besides, to prevent tax evasion on sale, the amendment covers petrol with or without additives, high speed diesel oil and light diesel oil in the Sixth Schedule of the Act.
Participating in the discussion to amend the VAT Act, CPM MLA A Soundararajan said the hike in tax with respect to beedi and oil should be rolled back. “The hike in tax on beedi will affect the livelihood of lakhs of labourers,” he argued.
The Tamil Nadu University Laws (Amendment and Repeal) Bill, 2011, was adopted to wind up the five Anna Universities of Technologies created during the DMK regime. The move would bring all the engineering colleges in the State under the Anna University in Chennai, which will once again be an affiliating-type university. Although members of the Left parties urged the government to refer it to a standing committee, the Bill was passed.
The Tamil Nadu Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2011, which facilitated increased charges under the principal Act, and the Chennai City Police (Extension to the Chennai City Suburban Area) Repeal Bill, 2011, that formalises the merger of the suburban police with the city unit were among other Bills that were adopted.