West Bengal waives amusement tax for World Cup ties
By IANSTuesday, January 25, 2011
KOLKATA - The West Bengal government has waived amusement tax for the four cricket World Cup matches to be staged at the Eden Gardens in February-March, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya said here Teusday.
“We had information from the finance minister of West Bengal. He has agreed to grant exemption to the World Cup as far as imposing amusement tax is concerned,” Dalmiya told newspersons at the Eden Gardens.
Dalmiya and CAB joint secretary Biswarup Dey called on state finance minister Asim Dasgupta Jan 5 and requested him not to levy the 20 percent amusement tax on the four games.
The CAB had argued that ticket prices will go up by 20 percent if the government levied the tax.
Of the four matches, the India-England Feb 27 exchange ticketa have been priced at Rs.1200 and Rs.1500.
The other three games involving Ireland and South Africa (March 15), Ireland and Netherlands (March 18) and Kenya and Zimbabwe (March 20) has tickets of the denominations of Rs.700 and Rs.1000.
The state government agreed to grant the waiver after the CAB submitted a report on the ticket prices, number of seats and priced tickets and facilities for spectators.
