State set to write to Centre over demands of bus operators to implement GST on diesel prices

Kolkata: The state government is set to write to the Centre about the demands of private bus operators to implement GST on diesel prices instead of the present taxation system that is leading to abnormal hike in its prices.

The bus operators have called a 72-hour-strike from January 28 in demand of imposing GST on diesel. Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay held a meeting with representatives of five private and mini bus operators' associations on Sunday. Representatives of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, Bengal Bus Syndicate, West Bengal Bus Mini-bus Owners' Association, Mini-bus Coordination Committee and Intra Region Bus Service were present in the meeting. Pradip Narayan Basu, secretary of the West Bengal Bus Mini-bus Owners' Association, said: "We have informed about our demands to the Chief Secretary. He gave a patient hearing to all the issues. Since the matter is related to implementation of GST, step has to be taken by the Centre in this regard. We have also written to the Centre in this regard and the Chief Secretary has also assured us today that they will also write to the Centre about our demands on behalf of the state government."

However, no decision has been taken yet in connection with withdrawal of the strike.