Govt mulling tax relief steps for striking truckers

New Delhi, Jul 2 (UNI) A government worried over runaway inflation today got into full swing to tackle thorny issues pertaining to truckers' country-wide strike which began midnight last night, saying it was considering more tax relief measures for Goods Transport Agencies (GTA).

''The issues pertaining to service tax are largely now in the nature of procedural and implementational,'' Mr V Sridharan, CBEC Member (Budget&Sevice Tax), told newspersons here.

Mr Sridharan said the issues that are affecting the GTAs relate to individual items rendered in a Bill charged by the GTAs, such as 'Supply of tangible goods for use without the transfer of onwership.' He said the Finance Ministry will be holding a meeting with representatives of All India Motor Transport Congress(AIMTC) to thrash out the remaining outstanding issues. The official, however, did not elaborate what may be offered.

Millions of truckers went on strike midnight, choking the lifeline of the economy.

Meanwhile, meetings were being held at the highest level to sort out the issues.

These included the Cabinet Secretary and Secretary level meetings in the Ministry of Surface Transport and the Finance Ministry.

Some of the specific issues, which have been put up before the government by AIMTC for being resolved, pertain to toll tax, diesel prices and speed governors and mechanical tax.

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