[Reader-list] Withdraw price hike of outboard engines: KSMTF

[T Peter]

 Withdraw price hike of outboard engines: KSMTF

 Express News Service
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First Published : 01 Feb 2009 10:53:31 AM IST
Last Updated : 01 Feb 2009 12:18:28 PM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation
(KSMTF) has called upon the Central and State Governments to withdraw the
price hike of outboard engines used for fishing.

 Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, Federation president T.Peter
said there was an increase  of Rs 11,000 to Rs 17,000 based on the
horsepower of engines. He said that at a time when the fishing sector was
facing crisis owing to the shortage of marine wealth, the price hike of
engines would further vitiate the crisis. Peter said that 12.5 percent tax
was levied on outboard engines. But only four percent tax is levied on
agricultural implements.

 Though the fisheries sector also comes under the Union Agriculture
Ministry, it is not being given sufficient consideration.

Peter also said that the tax on outboard engines should also be reduced to
four percent to save the fisheries sector. He said that the National
Fishworkers Forum and the KSMTF had decided to raise the major issues
plaguing the fishing sector during the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and mount
pressure on the mainstream political parties.

 Political parties will have to make clear their stand on giving licence to
foreign trawlers, setting up of the Union Fisheries Ministry, Fish Import
Policy, coastal protection scheme, special economic zone, special tourism
zone on the coastal area, marine protected area, kerosene for fishing
purpose and on the rehabilitation of fish workers who were affected by sea
erosion.

  Mass conventions would be held in the coastal States before the Lok Sabha
elections to press the demands of fish workers, Peter said.