In the wake of protests, the State government has already toned down the VAT by a Government Order issued in last week of July. But the traders are demanding complete rollback of the tax as it is not levied in any of the neighbouring States.

Several textile traders from five districts of North Andhra and Godavari have decided to obtain signatures of at least 10 million women in support of their protest against the levy of VAT after making them aware of its financial impacts.

As part of the ‘Chalo Assembly’ programme, around 100,000 textile traders from the State plan to march to the Assembly to voice their protest against levy of four percent VAT on textiles.

The traders have also given a call for launching a non-cooperation movement with the commercial tax authorities on the VAT imposition issue.

They have decided to convene their next meeting in Vijayawada to decide on their further course of action to further push their demand, in case State government does not rollback the VAT.

Source: Fibre2fashion.com, India,  dated 09/08/2011