Reeling under a crisis due to the Covid19 pandemic and the rising diesel prices, the representative organisation of truckers and allied stakeholders, in a missive to the Indian Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has demanded that the road warriors -drivers, who are keeping the economy of the country moving, should be inoculated on a priority basis so that there is no stoppage of transport movement. ACOGOA has also called for an immediate embargo on diesel prices and a state-conducted study to estimate the loss to the transport industry by the government of India. WSN reports.

Through a letter to the transport minister of India, the petroleum and finance minister, trade body ACOGOA has warned that the transport industry is on the ventilator and has beckoned the government of India for a bailout by providing oxygen support in the form of tax holiday for the current financial year, stopping the upward trend in diesel prices which is touching Rs. 100 a litre, a moratorium on EMI till 31 December 2021, strict adherence to the seizure of vehicles under Supreme Court guidelines and fixation of minimum freight rate as per Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Speaking to World Sikh News, the general secretary of the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Associations -ACOGOA -Rajinder Singh mentioned that, “India’s GDP is at the lowest compared to the past 6 years. Businesses are struggling, there are labour shortages, unemployment and a slowdown in manufacturing and trade.  All of this has seriously impacted the transport industry and its multifarious stakeholders, who have been completely ignored by the government of India despite umpteen representations since the Covid19 pandemic struck.”

“Let it be clear to the government of India that the transport industry is waiting for life-support, especially the owner-driver majority small segment. It is estimated that more than 80 per cent of transporters are small operators.  Since September 2020, prices of diesel have shot up by over 20%, and of tyres by over 10%. Driver salaries increased by 10% to 15% because of low availability,” he added. 

When asked “Why does the transport industry not arrange for inoculation of drivers, Rajinder Singh promptly said, “ACOGOA will provide full support to the government all over the country to arrange such centres where we can inoculate drivers and other assisting staff. We are committed to saving lives as in the first and second wave of the pandemic, many lives were lost and many returned back to their homes not to return.”

“ACOGOA will provide full support to the government all over the country to arrange such centres where we can inoculate drivers and other assisting staff. We are committed to saving lives as in the first and second wave of the pandemic, many lives were lost and many returned back to their homes not to return.”

Rajinder Singh, General Secretary, ACOGOA

“We have sent this letter to the Chief Ministers of all states with the hope that some states can take this up at the earliest,” added Rajinder Singh, who deeply cares about the lives and problems of truck drivers.

The letter to Nitin Gadkari states that “Despite all hindrances and difficulties, Drivers -the road warriors continued their service of transporting essential commodities, much-needed PPE kits, medicines, oxygen cylinders, food items and grains throughout the country.  Employers are providing face masks, sanitisers and monitoring their health, but what is the Union government or state governments doing for them?

“Low consumer demand, low fleet utilization, low freight rates, negative operator profitability, large outstanding payments, decreased cash flow, delinquency leading to default in payment of EMIs and large working capital needs have been the hallmark of Lockdown 2.0, which was generally localised, though the adverse impact was national.  Additional loans, top-up loans for tyres, fuel, insurance, personal loss, Covid-prevention funds continue to be an additional burden. “

The moot point is whether the government will listen to the woes of the transporters and if it will, then when.  As of now, there are no images of truck drivers being inoculated. The monthly talk show of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ‘giant strides’ by the Minister for Transport and Roads Nitin Gadkari has not acknowledged them as road warriors.

The rise in diesel prices is leading to heavy inflation. The impact of the rise in petroleum prices on edible oil prices is only one indicator, but will anybody listen?