Jamshedpur: SCCI members lend support to traders’ strike against Mandi tax

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Feb 8: The representatives of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry attended the state level meeting called in Ranchi by the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday and demanded rollback of the two per cent market tax on Mandis by the state government.

More than 110 traders from Kolhan attended the meeting. Members of Jamshedpur Vyapar Mandal, Parsudih, Chakulia Rice Mills, Jamshedpur Flour Mill Association and traders of Chakradharpur, Ghatsila, Mosabani and Seraikela also participated in the meeting. It was unanimously decided to burn the effigy of state agriculture minister to protest the government decision.

“Jharkhand State Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Bill-2022 passed by the state assembly in March last year and received governor Ramesh Bais’s approval this month will lead to an increase in the cost of food grains,” SCCI president Vijay Anand Moonka said. The increased cost will eventually have to be borne by the consumers, causing great inconvenience to them at a time when they are already experiencing steep hike in the prices of essential commodities, he said.

“Earlier, last year, when the government proposed to impose the mandi tax, the food grain traders with the support of the trade bodies organised a series of state-wide agitation against the proposal. The ministers had then assured the traders that they would positively look into the grievances. But nothing favourable came out of the promise. The mandi traders will oppose the move till the tax is rolled back,” said Parsudih Krishi Bazar Samiti functionary Deepak Bhalotia.

“The credibility of the government is at the stake. The imposition of the marketing tax in spite of the repeated assurances made by the ministers is a breach of the trust for the traders,” said a food grain wholesaler, Ramdev Bajranglal.
Those who attended the meeting included Chamber president Vijay Anand Moonka, general secretary Manav Kedia, Nitesh Dhut, Anil Modi, Deepak Bhalotia, Pawan Naredy and Satyanarayan Agrawal Munna.