VAT on transportation brings trucks and tankers to a halt in Telangana

Hyderabad: As many as 3,000 trucks carrying petroleum products were off the roads on Monday following an indefinite strike in protest against the imposition of 14.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on transportation charges. [caption id=“attachment_2806458” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo. Reuters.[/caption] Telangana State Petroleum Tank Trucks Owners Association president K Rajashekhar Reddy rued that no state in the country has imposed such tax on petroleum goods transportation. “All 3,000 tankers and trucks are participating in the indefinite strike until the tax is rolled back,” Reddy said. Commercial Taxes department officials have held talks with oil marketing company officials in the last two days. On Sunday the officials held futile discussions with truck/tanker owners. Many petrol bunks here witnessed panic buying from consumers as they feared shortage of petrol and diesel following the strike.