Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has written to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urging her to withdraw the 18 per cent GST imposed on kendu (tendu) leaves.
In his letter to the Finance Minister, the Chief Minister said that kendu (tendu) leaf is a minor forest produce (MFP) and is the financial backbone of about 8 lakh tendu leaf pluckers, binders, and seasonal workers in Odisha, who are mostly tribal and women and belong to the poorest of the poor of the society.
“Tribal people collect the leaves as part of their rights defined under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Right) Act, 2006. They have the right to procure and sell these products,” the letter read.
“Implementation of GST (18%) on kendu (tendu) leaves is adversely affecting the kendu leaves trade, which, in turn, is affecting the livelihoods of kendu leaves pluckers, binders and seasonal workers and implementation of social security and welfare schemes for them,” Patnaik wrote to Sitharaman.
The Chief Minister urged the Union Finance Minister to withdraw the imposition of GST on kendu (tendu) leavers in the interest of a large section of people dependent on kendu (tendu) leaves for their livelihood as well as the greater interest of Odisha.
