Consult city traders before making changes in tax rates: Amritsar entrepreneurs

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 22

Ahead of the two-day GST council’s meeting in Chandigarh from June 28, city-based entrepreneurs have requested the Union Government to consult traders before making changes in the tax rates of GST.

Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal president Piara Lal Seth, who is also Punjab chairman of Confederation of All-India Traders (CAT), said unbranded foodgrains should be kept free from tax. He said in any case, it would be brought under the tax net but then it should not be above 5 per cent. Similarly, he demanded that textiles and footwear be kept within the tax slab of 5 per cent.

Samir Jain, general secretary of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, reasoned that the government and its high officials should not forget that roti, kapda and makan (bread, cloth and housing) were basic needs of common people. If tax is imposed on these, then its direct burden will fall on 130 crore people. Already, the income of common people was decreasing, while the expenditure was increasing day by day. It was casting a direct impact on their expenditure pattern.

On the other hand, the figure of GST revenue is increasing every month, so there is no justification for imposing more GST on any commodity. He stressed that discrepancies in tax rates should be eliminated. Any unilateral decision will be against the ease of doing business.

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