Sambalpur: Kendu leaf workers under various divisions here will stage a 10-day agitation from February 1 to February 10 demanding abolition of Goods and Service Tax (GST) from kendu leaves, a report said.
Similarly, the members of Odisha Kendu leaf Workers Association will stage agitations from February 12-20 at Bolangir, Sambalpur, Angul circles on the same demand.
This was stated here by Bijay Kumar Mohanty, state secretary Odisha Kendu Leaf Workers Association at a press meet at the conference hall of Hirakhand Bidyut Karmachari Sangh here Wednesday.
The press meet was preceded by an emergency meeting of the association where members deliberated on various issues concerning kendu leaf workers.
Mohanty said the 18 per cent GST on kendu leaves and 28 per cent on bidi have dealt a heavy blow to the survival of kendu leaf outfits when the selling price of kendu leaf has gone down.
The protest meet has been undertaken demanding wage revision and pay hike for seasonal workers and kendu leaf binders. The higher rate of GST has destroyed the livelihood of kendu leaf pluckers for which the GST should be abolished.
Vice president Rohit Choudhury, secretary Gokul Meher, Md Murtaza, state secretary of HMS, Anandi Sahu and Kirtan Senapati were present at the press meet.
PNN
