Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 22: In order to mitigate the sufferings and financial losses caused due to nation wide lockdown amidst corona pandemic, All Jammu And Kashmir Oil & LPG Tank Truck Drivers and Cleaners Union, the representative body of drivers and cleaners that carries essential petroleum products including diesel, petroleum, and ATF fuel, have urged the Union Finance Minister Niramla Sitharaman and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to roll out some financial package to provide partial loan waiver to the transporters and tax exemptions.
Ranjit Singh Raina, president of the Union has appealed to the Government to consider a financial package for the Transport sector as it is already facing financial burden. He said transport sector has come to a halt due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown. This has broken the back bone of the Transport sector and if Government does not help our brothers in the sector, then thousands and lakhs of people associated with this trade may loose their jobs.
Spokesperson and Advisor of the Union while giving further details said that over 85 to 90 percent commercial transport vehicles in J&K are either on loan from Government or private banks or they are financed by the private finance companies or individuals and during lockdown period the fleets of tanks, trucks, road rollers, cranes, matadors , buses, taxis, three wheelers (passengers/load carrier) and even e-rickshaws remained parked adhering the guidelines of the lockdown.
He said their Union seeks financial package for the transport sector including Income Tax, Road Tax exemptions, toll exemption, partial loan waiver for purchased vehicles, restructuring of loans so that lacs of people associated directly or indirectly with this trade do not loose their jobs and their families do not suffer as each commercial vehicles feeds 5 to 8 families minimum.
It is pertinent to mention here that even amidst this lockdown, the National Highway Authority of India have started 2 new toll posts one at Lakhanpur in Kathua and another in Kachkoot in Srinagar, which is surprising and shocking.
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