In protest against Union Government’s non responsive attitude towards rolling back excise duty on gems and jewellery, the jewellers of Jamshedpur on Thursday launched signature drive with their blood on a white canvas measuring 8x8 ft.
They are demanding rollback of 1 per cent excise duty on gems and jewellery and making PAN cards compulsory for transactions of Rs 2 lakh and above.
Thursday, was the ninth day of the pan-India indefinite strike against the Central government's decision which was announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley while presenting the Union Budget on February 29.
Dinesh Adeshra, a senior functionary of Jamshedpur Jewellers Association said gems and jewellery industry is disheartened with the Government’s apathy towards the sector with the proposal of re-imposition of 1 per cent Excise Duty in the Budget 2016—17. “We were already facing challenges and businesses have gone down by 25—30 per cent after the Government’s decision in January to make PAN cards mandatory for any transactions of Rs 2 lakh and above. Instead of increasing the slab to Rs 10 lakh from the current Rs 2 lakh, the Government has created more difficulties by the proposal to re-introduce the 1 per cent Excise Duty,” he rued.
The jewellers and goldsmiths under the banner of Jamshedpur Jewellers Association started assembling near the Bistupur traffic signal for participating in the agitation which continued for three hours. The agitation was also supported by two associations Jamshedpur Vishwakarma Samaj and Bangabhasi Karigar Samaj- and also the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( SCCI).
President of Jamshedpur Jewellers Association Bipin Adesra, said they collected signatures and thumb impressions of over 300 during the three hours drive. " The signatures attached with a petition highlighting our demands was sent to the Union finance minister Arun Jaitely. We have also sent a separate petition expressing the concern of jewellers community and the repercussions of levying 1 per cent excise duty it will have on our business, was sent to the Prime Minister, " said Adesra
Another jeweler said earlier, in 2005 and 2012, the government had introduced 1 per cent Excise duty in gems and jewellery sector but had to withdraw it as it was not practical with the industry comprising mostly under—educated but highly skilled people who are not equipped to handle the paper work required in it.