Ranchi, April 26: Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today appealed to the Centre to review its decision to cut down custom and excise duty from 35 per cent to 5 per cent on tsar silk import in the 2011-12 union budget.
“The massive reduction in the duty on tsar silk import will affect farmers in the country, particularly those from Jharkhand which has increased cocoon production from 40 MT to 716 MT in the last six years. The lowering of duty might lead to dumping of raw materials for silk (in the country) from outside,” Munda told a news conference here.
He has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention on the issue.
Munda, who during the day met several scientists, said, “My request for a review on lowering the duty is aimed at saving the livelihood of several people, particularly the women in remote rural areas.
-Agencies