The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) today said it has increased freight charges across the country by 15 per cent following the hike in diesel prices.
“We have decided to pass on the burden of increase in diesel price hike to customers. The freight charges will be increased with immediate effect by 15 per cent across India,” AIMTC spokesperson G.P. Singh told PTI.
He further said the transport industry was not in a position to absorb the price hike.
“The increase in diesel price will hit the common man as the cost of basic items will shoot up,” he said.
Asking for a rollback of the diesel price hike, Singh said the government has not heeded the transporters’ plea not to increase diesel price and AIMTC was keeping “all our options open” to press for its demand.
The apex body of truckers across the country, AIMTC claims to have around 80 lakh trucks under its aegis.
Yesterday, the government hiked diesel prices by a steep Rs 5.62 a litre. This was the biggest-ever hike in diesel prices excluding VAT or local sales tax following which the fuel is sold at Rs 46.95 per litre in the national capital as against Rs 41.32 a litre earlier.
Diesel prices were last hiked by Rs 3.37 per litre in June 2011.
Comments:
What is the justification for this steep increase of 15% in the shipping charges?
The fuel price has been hiked only 12.5%
In the transport business, assuming a 50% fuel incident charges, the hike at best should be around 6% only
So, the reasoning of the transporters is clear - make hay while the sun shines.
It is this type of raise done by various arms of trade that pinches the pockets of AAMM adhmi and not the governments revision of prices of diesel or petroleum products.When the price of fuels is raised by 5% where is the logic of raising the frieght by 15% ?.If the same percentage of rise is done in connected products and services it would not pose a bigger problem.But the lack of such indiscipline and looting of the consumers by the trade only makes it difficult for the government to act in reality and political parties turn a blind eye to this.Also they never share the common man's burden.
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