Jamshedpur: Road transporters are threatening to go on strike on October 9-10, seeking a sharper drop in diesel prices. Truck owners and operators are also against the disruptive policies under Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demanded the inclusion of diesel in the new indirect tax’s ambit so that there is a common diesel price across the country.
All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the All India Transporters Welfare Association and the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association have jointly announced the strike.
Supplies of commodities including food are likely to be affected due to the proposed token strike.
Jamshedpur Transport Welfare Association (JTWA) has also decided to support the strike and their trucks would not ply on roads.
President of JTWA Akhilesh Singh Yadav said they would not support the All India Transporters Welfare Association in the proposed strike �chakka jam�, on October 9 and 10 in protest against the �disruptive� Goods and Services Tax (GST) and new policies in the transport sector.
Singh further said that there was �utter confusion, chaos and disruption� due to the various policies in the transport sector and the new tax regime introduced by the Centre.
The truckers alleged that they were being coerced into registration and that sale of used business assets attracted GST, which was a case of double taxation.
Akhilesh Singh went on to say that while diesel prices had gone down, there had been an increase in excise duty and road cess, which is negatively impacting the farmer and the common man, apart from fuelling inflation.
“The exorbitant increase in the diesel price and daily fluctuations are affecting the road transport sector. The diesel and tolls account for more than 70 per cent of operating cost of the truck, though diesel is out of GST. Diesel must be brought under GST top bring uniformity of diesel pricing across the country,” he said.
Transporters also demanded the revision of diesel prices should be done on a quarterly basis.
Transporters were not able to lift goods from unregistered traders as that would require transporters to pay GST on these traders’ behalf under RCM. The GST system also provides another scheme through which transporters can also avail FCM, where they need to pay 12 per cent GST but claim full input credit.
“The contra laws in the present GST regime are leading to coercive registration and unnecessary compliances by truckers and transporters. The government has put options under GST double taxation in the RCM and FCM for 5 per cent and 12 per cent respectively,” added Singh.
The Jamshedpur association members also threaded to go on indefinite strike if their demands are not met and also urged all the transporters of the city to assemble at Transport Nagar in Mango and make the strike a massive success.