The government has levied Rs 86 on quintal of sal leaves, the main material for making the plates. The trade further plunged after imposition of GST.
Badasahi (Mayurbhanj): The imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on sal leaves has reportedly taken its toll on the livelihood of thousands of tribals engaged in making leaf plates in Badasahi and Betanoti blocks of Mayurbhanj district. As the traditional profession is no longer lucrative, over 3,000 tribals in Paunsia, Rajgad, Kanimahull, Dinabandhupur, Ghusuria, Banatalapada, Shialighagi, Lodhasahi and Kendugadi have migrated out of the district in search of daily wages. Many said GST is one of the factors which left the trade in a slump. The leaf plate trade suffered a jolt after the state government imposed royalty on minor forest produce a few years ago. The government has levied Rs 86 on a quintal of sal leaves, the main material for making the plates. The trade further plunged after imposition of GST.
“Traders refuse to pay GST and have refrained from buying leaf plates,” said Snehalata Bhoi of Dinabandhupur.
She recalled the days when their plates were supplied to other districts and neighbouring states. The supply has come down while the price they get from leaf plates is not commensurate with the labour inputs, she lamented.
Sal leaf collection and making of plates have been a cottage industry in many tribal villages. Leaf plates and bowls are sought after items during marriages, thread ceremonies, post-death rituals, feasts and other social occasions. So leaf plates had a high demand in the market, but now it has fallen due to various factors like use of thermocol plates and paper plates and the imposition of Goods and Service Tax, locals said.
Paunsia village in Badasahi block is a hub of leaf plate making. A few years ago, the demand for sal leaf plates was so high that people from various parts of the state used to throng the village and pay advance to plate makers. The tribal families used to have a good earning from their traditional profession. But gone are those days. The market has now become more competitive and tribals find it difficult to face the competition. The aggrieved villagers said people have been gradually shunning use of leaf plates and widely using thermocol and paper plates on marriage and other occasions.
Sal leaf traders and plate makers Manas Bhoi, Harishchandra Deo, Gitanjali Bhoi and Rudana Bhoi observed that the government should go in for waiver of the indirect tax on sal leaves. Betanoti ranger Saroj Kumar Mohanty admitted that the Goods and Service Tax will have some impact on the trade on which leaf pluckers, plate makers and traders are dependent.
POST NEWS NETWORK
