Ranchi, May 2: Chief Minister Raghubar Das called on Union Forest and Environment Minister Harshvardhan in New Delhi during which he urged the Union Minister to provide tax exemption of minor forest produce.
In a meeting between the two Mr Das said that the main beneficiary of the minor forest produce were the tribals and people belonging to the low income group who collect small forest produce including lac, tamarind, ‘karanj’ as source of their earning and if tax exemption can be provided than they would be encouraged further in these areas.
The Chief Minister said that he would be raising the matter with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in this regard after which Mr Harsvardhan also assured to look at the matter from his end.
In case of land acquisition for PSUs a provision for paying double the amount for land acquired has been made. Mr Das requested that similar provisions should be made for the companies which are under the state government. He also urged for speedy forest clearance for minning project of SAIL in Saranda, CCL projects, railway lines projects, dedicated industrial freight corridor projects and other important projects over the which the minister assured to take due deliberations and actions.