FAISALABAD, June 29: Amid allegations of high taxation and increase in fees and levies, the Tehsil Municipal Administration (City) approved its budget of Rs1.18 billion for the year 2004-2005 here on Tuesday.

The house rejected all the cut-motions, protests by citizens, traders, NGOs and industrialists and increased the rate of different taxes by 100 to 1,700 per cent. Nazim Mumtaz Ali Cheema and his associates, while presenting the budget on Monday, had termed it tax free.

However, in schedule of various taxes and duties it was noticed that a huge increase had been made in taxes and duties imposed on various businesses and services in the city.

Tax on car showrooms and workshop Rs2,000 per annum against last year's Rs110; food and flour mills Rs 12,000 as compared to previous year's rate of Rs825; powerloom spare shops Rs1,000 per annum against Rs110; shoe shops Rs500 against Rs28 only, sale of cars and jeeps Rs1,500 against previous year's rate of Rs110; sale of rickshaw, motorcycle Rs300 against Rs 55; factories of clocks Rs15,000 against Rs1,100; commission agents of cotton cloth will have to pay Rs2,000 annual duty against last year's Rs 220; yarn agency Rs3,000 as compared to last year's rate of Rs550.

The budget document further revealed that Rs5,000 have been imposed on sizing factories against previous year's fee of Rs825. Similarly, there is a record increase in duties and fees on shops of leather, rubber, nylon, chemical, sewing machine, embroidery, iron sheets, candles, electric welding, chip and hard boards, radio, televisions, service stations, warping machine, biscuit factory, factory of suit cases, unani medicines.

The fee for sale of paint, decoration materials, general stores, photography, beverage shops, sale of t-iron, chicken fish, ice-cream, hotels, tent-services, manufacturing of cycles, recording of cassettes, wood cutting machine, air-coolers, sanitary wares, plastic and wood furniture have also been enhanced from 100 to 200 per cent.

Similarly, 50 to 100 per cent increase has been made on over 100 other professions and trades in the city by the TMA in its annual budget. The TMA (City) had invited objections and suggestions from the shopkeepers, traders, industrialists and people belonging to cross-sections of the society.

A number of local trade bodies and citizens had filed their objections and raised alarm over the rapid and huge increase in taxes and duties but all their queries and complaints were dismissed with a single order by the Tehsil City Nazim and other officials concerned.