Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004
Wednesday, Aug 25, 2004 |
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By Our Special Correspondent
THE GLUT AND THE ROT: Fruits being unloaded from the stranded trucks in Barabazaar in Kolkata on Tuesday, after they started decaying. — PTI
NEW DELHI, AUG. 24. The standoff between the Government and the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) continued after the failure of talks yesterday. The truckers' strike entered the fourth day today even as the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, in a fresh initiative tonight, issued an appeal to the truck owners and operators to resume plying their vehicles as the Government had no intention of imposing the 10 per cent service tax on them. Appearing before the media for the first time in relation to the truckers' strike, Mr. Chidambaram declared that no tax had been imposed on the truck owners or truck operators and no tax would be imposed on them. "I wish to say once again that no service tax is being imposed or will be imposed on truck owners or truck operators. I want to make a special appeal to those truck owners who operate one or two or three trucks. No tax has been imposed on you and no tax will be imposed on you. You will not be required to register. You will not be required to collect any service tax. You will not be required to pay any service tax," Mr. Chidambaram said, reiterating clarifications issued by him in the past. Full security Assuring complete security to the truck owners and operators, he said the Government did not intend taking any stern action against them as it perceived them as the victims of an unwarranted strike. "I know that you — truck owners and truck operators — do not want to strike. I know that you and your family are affected by the strike. This strike has no connection with the truck owners or truck operators. There is no reason for truck owners and truck operators to continue the strike", he said, accusing those spearheading the strike of misleading the owners and operators. He found it rather strange that they were on strike although the Government was not imposing any service tax on them. On the other hand, the cargo booking agents, who would be required to recover and pay the service tax, were carrying on with their business. Mr. Chidambaram said that the representatives of the transport industry had several rounds of talks with the officials from the Finance and the Surface Transport Ministries. At their request, the Government agreed to appoint a Committee to examine any procedural difficulties and work out the modalities for the smooth implementation of the tax. The Government expected them to sign the minutes of the discussion and was ready to announce the appointment of the committee but the representatives backed out at the last minute. Mr. Chidambaram wondered whether the operators and owners had been kept informed about these developments. Virtually rejecting their demand for a meeting with him, he said the senior officials had held discussions for the last two days and were available round the clock. The Government and the Ministers were there to guide the officials, he said. He invited large transport corporations or the cargo-booking agents to discuss their problems with the Government.
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