Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reurged the Centre to withdraw 18% GST on Kendu leaves for the larger interest of poor and tribal people associated with Kendu leaves trade in the state.

"Imposition of GST (18%) on Kendu leaves is adversely affecting the Kendu leaves trade. This in turn affects the livelihoods of Kendu leavers pluckers, binders and seasonal workers and implementation of social security and welfare schemes for them," Patnaik wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is the Chairperson of GST Council.

He said that the Kendu (Tendu) leaf, which is a Minor Forest Produce, is the financial backbone of eight lakh Kendu (Tendu) leaf pluckers, binders and seasonal workers of Odisha. The Kendu leaf pluckers and workers are mostly tribal and women belonging to the poorest of the poor of the society.

The tribal people collect the leaves as part of their rights defined under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. They have the right to procure and sell these products.

In the interest of a large section of people dependent upon Kendu leaves for their livelihood, the CM requested Sitharaman once again to withdraw the imposition of GST on Kendu.

On November 25 last year, the CM had written to the Union Finance Minister regarding withdrawal of GST on Kendu leaves after the Centre announced a special package for the welfare of kendu leaf pluckers.