Professionals in Himachal Pradesh are objecting to the imposition of a profession tax barely hours after the enactment of the relevant law.

According to the law passed by the state assembly late Friday - the last day of the budget session - 26 categories of professionals earning over Rs.4,000 a month will be taxed.

They include government employees, lawyers, doctors, engineers, journalists, contractors, hotel owners, brokers, estate and insurance agents, company directors and chartered accountants.

Lawyers in the hill state have already sounded their opposition to the law.

"We pay other taxes to the government but get no facilities in return. Why should we pay this professional tax? The government should immediately roll back this tax," demanded Shravan Dogra, president of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Bar Association.

Himachal Pradesh will be the fourth state after Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to impose the profession tax. Most professionals will be taxed Rs.200, helping the state raise Rs.450 million a year.

But there was also some support for the law. "The government has rightly taxed successful professionals who should have no problems paying this nominal amount," said a resident.

Some see the tax - levied on some 175,000 state government employees and professionals - as a desperate effort by the government to raise resources.

The state government is reeling under severe debt, which currently stands at Rs.170 billion. This year's budget has substantial taxes after over a decade of tax-free budgets in the state.