Chandigarah: Ending impasse of J&K meat dealers over high taxation on transportation of livestock in Punjab, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Tribal Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali Friday met Minister for Finance, Planning, Employment Generation and Training Manpreet Singh Badal and Minister for Rural Development, Panchayats, Water Supply and Sanitation Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa in Punjab Government to discuss the issue.
Following the discussion, it was resolved that Punjab Government will limit charges on truckload with 160 livestock at the rate of Rs. 10,000 per truck and Rs 12,000 above 160 load of livestock and they have issued instructions accordingly. Punjab government agreed the same till next tender ending June 2017.
Pertinently, as per Traders of Kashmir ‘cattle fair charge’ have suddenly increased at the rate of 4 percent of the value, which comes to almost Rs 30,000 on each truckload of livestock.
Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, in view of the seriousness of the matter of meat dealers of Kashmir, alongwith a team of officers from Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Department conducted this visit to resolve the matter with Punjab Government which ended with positive response from Punjab by limiting the charges.
Zulfkar apprised the Ministers separately that representatives of Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Union along with Chinar Sheep Goat Welfare Association Delhi approached Jammu & Kashmir Government with the plea that livestock being bought from Delhi to Kashmir is being charged money in the garb of Punjab Cattle Fairs Regulations Act, 1967 which is not applicable on their livestock. He said these traders have produced a photocopy of receipt Book No 4985 and Serial No 36 issued by Fair Officers of Punjab Government in which an amount of Rs 28000 per truck was charged on account of composition under Section 20 of Punjab Cattle Fairs Regulation Act 1967.
The Minister brought into the notice of Punjab Government that these Meat Traders purchase livestock from Delhi, Rajasthan, Jaipur and other places outside Punjab and Punjab Cattle Fairs Regulation Act 1967 is not applicable to them as the vehicles are only in transit from Delhi, Rajsthan, Jaipur to Jammu & Kashmir while passing through Punjab.
The Minister apprised that as per Section 20, Sub –Section 2 of Section 18, Sub Section 1 of Section 8, Sub Section 1 of Section 9, Sub Section 1 of Section 10 of Punjab Cattle Fairs Regulation Act 1967, the Act is not applicable to those dealers who purchase the livestock from Delhi, Rajasthan, or any other places outside Punjab. He said as per livestock traders of Kashmir, they are being harassed at Madhupur Punjab on the pretext of enforcement of Punjab Cattle Fairs Regulation Act 1967 on these dealers.
The Minister also referred to earlier meetings held with Punjab administration on this matter. He added that in the meeting it was assured that no illegal fee will be collected by the contractors and directions were passed to contractors to display details of sale and purchase of livestock at Madhopur Post.
Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali expressed gratitude to Punjab Government for reducing charges of transportation of livestock.
