The Hindu Business Line : AIMTC boycotts meeting of Ministry appointed panel

THE committee appointed by the Finance Ministry to suggest a mechanism for collection and payment of service tax on goods transport agencies met for the first time here on Friday even as the representatives of the protesting All-India Motor Transport Congress stayed away from the meeting.

AIMTC had written to the revenue department expressing its reservations over the composition of the 13-member committee and objected to the nomination of four persons, who, it held, did not represent the interests of the trade.

The Government, however, is understood to have indicated in its reply that it is unwilling to accede to the demands of the AIMTC.

"AIMTC did not attend the meeting today as it does not accept the composition of the committee in the present form. If they want to continue holding meetings without us, it is their prerogative to do so. But, we are hopeful that they would come up with a positive response to our viewpoints," Mr S.K. Mittal, AIMTC Vice-President, told Business Line here.

Meanwhile, sources said the committee met on Friday and held preliminary discussions.

"There were seven persons including the four on whom objection were raised by AIMTC. The next meeting is on September 24," sources said.

Besides the three revenue department representatives, the four other members who attended the meeting are Mr B. Channa Reddy, President of the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners' Association (ACOGVOA), Mr S.P. Singh, senior Fellow and Co-ordinator, Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Foundation; Mr Navin Pal Singh Bhandari from New Delhi; and Mr P. Sengodan, President, State Lorry Owners' Federation, Tamil Nadu.

Sources in the ACOGVOA said the truck owners' representatives told the Chairman, at the meeting, that rules must be framed in such a way that truck owners are not harassed for others' wrongdoings.