TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The Government has notified the amendment of the Goa Value Added Tax based subsidy on high speed diesel under the Fishing Vessels Scheme, 2012.
The notification issued this month and deemed to have come into force from 1st day of April amends Clause 7 substituting in sub-clause (1) for “based on the number and capacity of fishing vessels in the Co-operative Society,” with “based on the number and capacity of fishing vessels in the Co-operative Society, including added quota authorized by the Department for individual beneficiary from other authorized outlet based on HP of vessel used….”
After giving details the notification by Nandkishor V Verlekar, Director & ex officio Joint Secretary (Fisheries) said, “The societies shall collect from every member, the statement of annual returns filed along with statement of account for the preceding year for claiming the VAT subsidy and submit it along with the claim.”
Meanwhile, the Central government’s decision to raise the prices of diesel for trawlers by Rs 11 has till date not affected fish prices with fish at normal rates till Friday evening. Kingfish was retailing for Rs 350 per kg, prawns – medium – Rs 260 and large – Rs 280; mackerels –small- 8 nos for Rs 80 and 4 nos for Rs 100 while squid were sold at Rs 140 and shark at Rs 200 per kg which appears reasonable and almost same as last week.
However, this could change as trawlers under the banner of an All Goa Federation –there are a total of almost 1000 trawlers with 350 of them in Malim itself – are set to drop anchors due to the hike. As of now 80 per cent of the trawlers have dropped anchors and the fish is being supplied by traditional fishermen.
Speaking to media, Mandovi Cooperatives chief, Menino Afonso said that they are thinking of a strike by Republic day afternoon as the Maharashtra trawlers are also going on strike. “We are likely to go on strike from tomorrow afternoon, Afonso said adding that they would call the 20 per cent trawlers who had gone out back. The trawler owners are upset because the diesel rates for them was hiked by Rs 11 while the outside rates were hiked by 50 paise.
“They have put us under industries when we actually come under agriculture sector. All our loans too are under the agriculture head,” he argued.
The decision to hike the diesel price was taken by the Union ministry after the fishing was put into the industrial sector. Diesel was heavily subsidized when fishing was in the agricultural sector.
