The State Government has failed to make a breakthrough with traders who have threatened to stop import of essential commodities from other States April 1.

This is despite the intervention of Finance Minister Pradip Amat and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma who met the traders’ representatives for the second time on Wednesday in a week.

The traders’ association blamed the Government for the failure of the meeting and reiterated its decision to stop import of pulses, wheat, wheat products, edible oil, sugar, etc., from Friday.

The traders have been demanding withdrawal of the five-per cent value added tax (VAT) on these commodities.

Federation of All Odisha Traders’ Association (FAOTA) secretary Sudhakar Panda questioned the Government’s intention, saying the meeting was just an eyewash and done only to consume time.

“While 24 out of 29 States in the country are not levying this tax, why is the Odisha Government imposing it by overburdening consumersIJ During the previous meeting, the Government had assured us to bring down the tax on pulses to one per cent from five per cent and to discuss the tax rate on other essential commodities. But today, the Government was in no mood to listen to us and tried to delay things,” rued Panda.

However, Minister Dasuburma told reporters that another round of meting would be held after the end of the Budget Session of the Assembly.

Besides, Amat and Dasburma, Chief Secretary AP Padhi and Finance Secretary and Development Commissioner R Balkrishnan, among others senior officials, attended the meeting.