Jharkhand CM Appeals to Centre To Review Decision On Custom/Excise Duty On Tsar Silk.

Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda today appealed to the Centre to review its decision of cutting down custom and excise duty from 35% to 5% on tsar silk import in the 2011-12 union budget.

"The massive reduction in the duty on tsar silk import will affect farmers in the country, particularly those from Jharkhand which has increased cocoon production from 40 MT to 716 MT in the last six years. The lowering of duty might lead to dumping of raw materials for silk (in the country) from outside," Munda told a news conference here.

He has even written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention on the issue.

Munda, who during the day met several scientists, said "my request for a review on lowering the duty is aimed at saving the livelihood of several people, particularly the women in remote rural areas".

"I had a dialogue with the scientists on silk production, how to expand marketing network and imparting training to silkworm producers so that Jharkhand can become a silk hub in the country," Munda said.

Stating that hundreds of farmers adopting sericulture business as an alternate occupation, Munda pointed out that Jharkhand alone accounted for 716 MT out of the total 1050 MT tsar cocoon produced in the country.

Source : dnaindia.com