Ranchi: Approximately 1.25 businessmen associated with the trade of agricultural produce in Jharkhand will keep their business establishments closed to protest against Jharkhand State Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act which provides for levying two percent agriculture tax on agricultural produce entering in the wholesale agricultural markets.
Keeping their business establishments close the businessmen will organise a meeting to chalk out a strategy to ensure abolition of the act. President of Federation of Jharkhand Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) Kishore Mantri said that the act will only give rise to corruption and cause problems for businessmen dealing in agricultural produce.
So far no tax was levied on the agricultural products entering the market. In Bihar and UP the tax is not levied. In West Bengal also the tax is very nominal but the Jharkhand government has levied the tax. The purpose behind this act is only to harass businessmen. It will only give rise to price hikes and the opportunity of illegal earning to corrupt officials, Mantri said.
The Act came into existence on February 3, 2023 after Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais gave his approval to the ‘Jharkhand State Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Bill-2022’ passed by the Jharkhand Assembly on March 24, 2022.