‘Withdraw GST on beedis, fix minimum wages’

Scientific study sought on health, economic status and working environment of workers

The former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader M. Veerappa Moily said here on Sunday that the Union government should withdraw GST imposed on beedis and a minimum wage for beedi workers should be fixed after scientifically studying their working condition.

Speaking at the beedi workers convention organised jointly by the Karnataka Karavali Beedi Workers Union and South Kanara-Udupi District Beedi Contractors Union, Mr. Moily said that though beedi workers work for long hours, they are paid only a meagre sum.

He said that for every 1,000 beedis they rolled workers get ₹210. Experts should study this and minimum wages should be fixed for these workers. As many beedi workers do not have houses of their own, they need assistance for building houses. These workers should have space earmarked in their houses for preparing beedis, he said.

Goods and Services Tax of 28% has been fixed for beedis considering it on a par with cigarette. Beedi rolling provides livelihood for a large number of people and this should not be compared with the cigarette industry. “To safeguard the interest of beedi workers, the Central Government should withdraw GST imposed on beedis,” Mr. Moily said.

He said that a scientific study on the health, economic status and working environment of beedi workers should be conducted to bring out these workers out of their problems. Commissions will have to be set up at the State and Central levels to conduct the study, he said.

Janata Dal (Secular) State vice-president M.B. Sadashiva said that after GST was imposed on beedis, cess is not being properly deposited by beedi industries to the Beedi Workers Welfare Board. The Central Government is not giving to the State the share of GST collection, he said and added that this has greatly affected the welfare activities for beedi workers.

Mangaluru MLA U.T. Khader said that these workers have contributed a lot towards the growth of the Indian economy. It is from the income generated by rolling beedis that many women in the coastal region are educating their children.