The supply of daily consumables is “disastrously hit” and the prices are expected to surge in neighbourhood markets over next few days following demonetisation, warned the Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators’ Association (TOA).
Secretary of the association Subhash Chandra Basu said that at least 80 per cent of nearly four lakh trucks affiliated to the TOA were off the road. The drop in transaction had severely affected business, Mr. Basu told The Hindu .
“At least 3,000 trucks are waiting on various inter-State borders of Bengal. Truck drivers or cleaners do not have sufficient change, neither have new currency notes and thus they are stuck on the border from November 9,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Moreover, transport organisations affiliated to our association are losing money every day as the factories have stopped producing since they cannot pay new cash to workers or loaders. About 80 per cent of 3.70 lakh vehicles of TOA are off the road, severely damaging the State’s economy,” Mr. Basu said.
Realising that the situation would affect the neighbourhood market of daily consumables like vegetables or fish, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the State would not impose “agricultural tax” on the produce.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The Bengal government has decided not to impose any agricultural tax on movement of trucks for next 3 days,” she said in a statement.
The West Bengal Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1972 levies a tax on the “produce sold in the market area” at a rate of two per cent on the sales price.
Welcoming the move, the TOP, however, said it would not address the problem.
“This is a very minor tax and it would not address the actual problem — which is shortage of cash. If the speed limit control mechanism certificate is not considered mandatory for few months or the drivers could be paid some money through local banks, it would be helpful,” Mr. Basu said.
At this point, about 3,000 trucks are waiting on the Bengal border, mostly with perishables, and the number is increasing by the hour.
Joint Secretary of the association Sajal Nag highlighted another key problem.
“When the vehicles from West Bengal move to other States — like let us say Chhattisgarh — a tax is levied absolutely locally and it is not a small amount, Rs. 6000 for a month. Bengal does not charge it but our vehicles are stuck in Chhattisgarh or in Odisha or Jharkhand [each charges Rs. 1,300] border for failing to pay in new currency,” said Mr. Nag.
“Moreover, essential medical items — like platelets carried in airtight air-conditioned containers — move from one State to another at a time when dengue is at its peak. The stoppage of trucks on borders may severely affect supply of platelets affecting health care and business,” Mr. Nag said.
Entry tax staysHowever, the entry tax on the non-perishable items — one per cent of product’s value — collected by the State’s Commercial Tax department cannot be relaxed, a State government official said.