Truckers Strike ‘For’ GST; Prices Of These 5 Commodities Can Increase In Coming Days!

Normally, strikes and bandhs in the last 12 months have been declared against GST’s implementation. But starting today, truckers are striking for GST, pan-India.

This two-day strike has been declared, by various truck unions pan-India, demanding that diesel be included in the GST regime.

However, the strike is also against the complicated tax filing structure, and lack of information related to GST.

We are also listing those 5 commodities, whose price may increase due to this strike.

Truckers’ Strike For Two Days, Pan-India

Starting at 8 AM today (October 9th), more than 15 lakh trucks pan-India will halt their vehicles, as a massive strike has been announced.

Transportation of goods and services across the length and breadth of India has been literally put on hold.

This strike has been called, mainly for three reasons:

• Truckers want diesel be included in the GST regime. Right now, petrol and diesel, both are out of GST
• Transport associations are complaining that there is lack of information related to GST, and Govt. is not providing any help in understanding it
• They want to stop dynamic pricing of diesel, and want quarterly revision of prices

All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), which has 93 lakh truckers and around 50 lakhs bus and tourist operators under union has supported and called this strike.

AIMTC president SK Mittal said, “Transporters have decided to protest against the callous and indifferent attitude of government officials, GST, diesel price hike and corruption on roads by observing a token ‘chakka jam’ (strike) on October 9 and 10,”

All India Transporters Welfare Association or AITWA, which is another major lobby of truckers and transport companies has supported this strike.

AITWA president Pradeep Singhal said, “The strike call is given by All India Motor Transport Congress and we are supporting them,”

He strongly condemned Govt. and Tax Officials for not providing sufficient information and education regarding how GST works.

He said, “They (government officials) do not want us to understand the GST, they do not want to explain the GST to us, they do not want to give any clarification… and they are making it extremely complicated,”

Prices of These 5 Commodities Can Increase

As per analysts, prices of all essential commodities, which are transported via trucks can increase in the coming days.

Primarily among these are:

• Vegetables: Onion is the vegetable which is most vulnerable to price increase, in the coming days. Tomatoes and potatoes are also expected to witness an increase in prices.
• Fruits: India is the second largest producer of fruits, and a transport strike can impact exports as well. Besides, fruits gets spoiled very fast, and this may further trigger price-rise.
• Milk: Now, being a festive season, increase in price of milk can have far reaching consequences. Prices of sweets may also increase, if the strike continues.
• Spices: Spice from Odisha, Gujarat and Kerala can now be stranded in the highways, leading to increase in price.
• Fish: Prices of fish in and around West Bengal and Kerala is expected to rise, due to the strike.

Calcutta Goods Transport Association (CGTA) is also supporting the strike.

When asked why the truckers are spoiling the party by conducting this strike right in the middle of the festive season, their president Prabhat Kumar Mittal, said, “It is a suicidal move (strike during festive season). We are making a loss to ourself when we stop our vehicles on the road (hence a 2-day strike for the time being). After Deepavali when the festive season is over, we are going to go on an indefinite strike if the government does not listen and cooperate.”

It seems desperate times calls for desperate measures. We will keep you updated as we receive more information..