Traders in Odisha not to import essential commodities from April 1

30 March, Bhubaneswar

The Federation of All Odisha Traders Association (FAOTA) Wednesday decided to stop import of essential commodities from April one.

A meeting held today between the traders and the government officials under the chairmanship of Odisha Finance Minister P K Amat to resolve the problem failed to come to any conclusion.

The traders’ body blamed the government for the failure of the talks and announced to stick to its decision to stop import of essential commodities from Friday.

Official sources said another meeting would be held after the Assembly session to resolve the issue and the traders body was requested not to go ahead with their decision to stop importing essential commodities.
On March 25 last FAOTA had announced to stop importing pulses, rice, sugar and edible oils if the government did not do away with the 5 per cent VAT imposed on the essential commodities .

FAOTA General Secretary Sudhakar Panda said 24 of the 29 states of the country are not levying any VAT on food grains.

In December 2014 and April 2015 the traders had called off their agitation and started importing goods after the government assured them to exempt them from VAT.

Panda said at the meeting held on March 26 last that the state government assured them to bring down the tax on pulses to 1 per cent from 5 per cent and to discuss the tax rate on other essential commodities. But, the government went back on its words, he observed.

The Finance and Food & Civil Supplies ministers, however, assured the traders’ body to hold another round of meting after the end of the first phase of the budget session of Assembly.