The proposed move of GOI to classify Agricultural tractors as "Commercial vehicle" is deplorable. Amidst hardships, Farmers wouldn't be able to...
DMK leader M.K. Stalin urged Union Minister Nitin Gadkari against reclassifying agricultural tractors as commercial vehicles, opposing heavy tax burdens on farmers.
M.K.Stalin@mkstalinOriginal post
The proposed move of GOI to classify Agricultural tractors as "Commercial vehicle" is deplorable. Amidst hardships, Farmers wouldn't be able to bear 28% GST & addl. permit cost. Hereby, I appeal to Min of Road Transport Thiru @nitin_gadkari to protect the interests of farmers.
DMK working president M.K. Stalin registered strong objection on December 26, 2017, against the proposed move of the Government of India to reclassify agricultural tractors as commercial vehicles. In an urgent appeal addressed to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Stalin urged the Centre to drop the detrimental proposal immediately and safeguard the vital interests of the country's struggling agricultural community.
Stalin highlighted that Indian farmers were already battling severe economic distress caused by recurrent droughts, volatile crop market prices, and rising input costs. Subjecting agricultural tractors—the fundamental mechanical backbone of rural farming—to commercial classification would attract an exorbitant 28 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) alongside burdensome commercial registration and permit fees. He emphasized that small and marginal farmers could never withstand such punitive financial liabilities.
The DMK leader asserted that agricultural mechanization should be incentivized through tax exemptions rather than treated as a source of revenue collection. He called upon the Union government to formulate policies that support agrarian sustainability. Stalin affirmed that the DMK will persistently defend farmers' rights against unreasonable central taxation and regulatory burdens. He demanded an immediate policy rollback.