Rubber import duty: Centre''s decision not justified, say.

(PTI): The commerce ministry's decision to modify import duty on rubber was unjustified and should be reexamined, according to Kerala Congress(M) chairman K M Mani. "The Centre earlier imposed import duty of 40 per cent and reduced it to 13 per cent which should be reexamined. The price of rubber will come down if the centre imports one lakh tonne of rubber through this duty structure," he said. He was speaking after inaugurating Rubber Board Technical Guild, an organisation affiliated to KC(M) and work for the welfare of technical employees of Rubber Board in the country here yesterday. Mani reiterated his demand that import cess for natural rubber be put back at 20 per cent to save the interests of lakhs of growers in the country. He assured that all efforts would be made to raise the status of Rubber Research Institute of India on par with Indian Council for Scientific Research. He urged the Centre to revise the payscale and perks of emplopyees of RRII at the earliest.

Source : ibnlive.in.com