We have no issue with tax structure but with by-laws: Anurag Bansal

Speaking on’OAAA Agenda & Challenges to achieve the same’ at UP Talks OOH, Anurag Bansal, VP, OAAA, Lucknow saw positive participation from the present media owners, stirred maximum amount of debates and raised many questions at the session.

“OAAA works for benefit of the OOH industry. Hence it will work in tandem with the municipal corporation of the state. But Municipality Corporation has not been cooperative enough that is causing harassment for us. Here, one should understand that we, as an association, have no problem with the tax structure but with the by-laws presented by the authority, said Bansal stating the basic problem that UP’s OOH industry is facing today.

The on-going case at High Court has been filed to re-structure following points:

•  Minimum tenure to pay taxes has been increased to one year no matter what is the display period. OAAA wants to re-structure the tax payable period only to the tenure of display, not a minimum tenure of a year.
• Current electricity charge is as hefty as INR 15/ per unit, which OAAA wants to be revised.

Mission of OAAA:

• Complete removal of illegal media – either through conversion from illegal to legal or simple by removing if no action works.
• 70 percent businesses come from the agencies. But media owners are not getting required respect from the agencies and most of the time, owners are treated as vendors. There should be system where agencies and media owners would work closely and take pride in working together.
• Bansal also proudly announces the form of OAAA’s exclusive Lucknow chapter and announced the names of initial 13 members of the chapter, most of who were present in the show.