Representatives of agitating transport associations and representatives from Finance Ministry, Transport Ministry, Home Ministry and Commerce and Supplies Ministry are in talks.[break]
“We won’t withdraw our strike until the government assures that our all 41 demands will be fulfilled honestly,” said Saroj Sitaula, treasurer of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation (NTENF).
Transporters are demanding that the government scrap the provisions in the current budget to provide concessional loans and duty free imports of taxi cabs for youths from the backward Badi community. Transporters are also against the budget provision that allows tariff exemption for import of public buses and taxi cabs for the Kathmandu Valley and urban areas across the country.
They are also demanding that the government restrict for five years import of all four-wheelers, and withdrawal of the budget provision allowing tax exemption for cooperatives operated by transport workers.
On Thursday transport operators did not operate their vehicles while allowing private vehicles but said they would not allow even private vehicles beginning Friday if the talks failed.
The talks were stalled for about four hours Thursday afternoon after transport operators walked out of the talks venue protesting the arrest of 19 strike enforcers but resumed after they were freed. The 19 were arrested from various places in Kathmandu Valley.
Nepal Truck-Tanker and Transport Entrepreneurs (NTTTE), Federation of Nepal Petroleum Tanker Operators (FNPTO), Truck Operators Federation (TOF), Nepal Democratic Transport Entrepreneurs National Forum (NDTENF) and Nepal Meter Taxi Operators Federation (NMTOF) jointly announced the nationwide agitation putting forth 41-point demands.
Related story
Rs 1 trillion public transport industry doesn't pay income tax
