PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, May 20: Jamshedpur traders called off their five-day agitation against the Mandi tax following an assurance from Cabinet Minister Alamgir Alam on Friday.
“We decided to call off the strike following an assurance from cabinet minister Alamgir Alam that the legislation related to Mandi tax would not be put up in the state assembly for approval. The minister took the decision in consultation with Rameshwar Oroan and state agriculture minister Badal Patralekh. We stand united and it’s a victory for the traders,” said Vijay Moonka, president of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Notably, the local traders began a stir on May 16 by not lifting foodgrains against the state government’s decision of imposing Mandi Tax.
A delegation of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries led by president Vijay Anand Moonka had also met Jharkhand governor Ramesh Bais in Ranchi in this regard and handed over him a memorandum demanding exemption for all traders from paying Mandi Tax.
Moonka said various state governments had abolished Mandi Tax. Chhatisgarh government recently put an end to Mandi Tax, he said, adding that the time had come for the Jharkhand government to do away with the provisions of Mandi Tax with immediate effect.
Market sources said that if the traders remained adamant and continued their strike for long it would have resulted in a food grain crisis.
