Amid the move of the Government to roll out much awaited e-commerce policy & National Retail Policy and rising complications in GST taxation system and various onslaughts from several quarters by the traders of the Country, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is all set to launch a month long mega national campaign “Vyapari Samvad†from 1st February to 28th February through which the CAIT will also conduct a survey on retail trade of India – said CAIT Secretary General Mr Praveen Khandelwal.
The survey will be the largest survey of retail trade in terms of its potentiality and capacities, challanges faced by the traders and suggestive remedial measures. The retail trade in India is generating an annual turnover for about Rs 130 lakh crore but it is irony that this sector which is considered to be the backbone of India’s economy, is devoid of any Ministry both at Centre & in States nor have any policy even after 75 years of Independence and therefore the CAIT has now decided to consolidate the strength of business community which will be converted into a vote bank. If everything in the Country is decided by vote bank politics then why the traders remain left behind-said Mr Khandelwal
CAIT National President Mr B C Bhartia said that during a month long national campaign titled as Vyapari Samvad, the CAIT will reach out to crores of traders through more than 40 thousand trade associations all over the Country and beside conducting an awakening among the traders, a kind of opinion poll shall also be held both in physical & digital manner about the need of speedy action on issues pertaining to e-commerce and GST and need of conversion of traders into a vote bank. Mr Bhartia strongly lashing out the political fraternity of the Country strongly resented that traders have been taken for granted by Governments and it is most astonishing that serious issues raised by the traders goes to deaf ears of the policy makers both in deliberative and execution wing of the Government.Â
Both Mr Bhartia & Mr Khandelwal expressed strong dissatisfaction about the working of the Government on two core burning issues e-commerce & GST taxation system. Large e-commerce companies in India are continuing violating laws & rules, accused of facilitating sale of prohibited items like marijuana, explosives required for making bombs which are used in terror activities, selling poison etc and instead of taking any actions, various Governments are joining hands with such companies for alleged empowerment of differed sectors which is a fallacy.It is also regretted that whenever any official conduct investigation against these companies, the official concerned is transferred. It happened in case of SP of Madhya Pradesh and it is reliably learnt that in CCI, the charge of investigation against Amazon has been handed over to some other investigation officer.These instances gives an indication that knowingly a free passage is provided to these companies to continue their mal-practices. Inspite of furnishing evidences, why no action is taken remains an unsolved mystery.
Mr Bhartia & Mr Khandelwal further said that current regime GST regime has proved to be highly complicated much away from providing ease of doing business. Distortions and disparities in GST has become order of the day. Filing of different kinds of return forms, variation in tax rates in different states, continues changes in GST Act & rules, accumulation of input tax credit due to higher tax on raw material and lower tax rate on corresponding item, different rulings in different states on same commodity, excessive & unchecked powers assigned to officials, irrational tax rates and various other tax related issues has lowered down the traders to a “ Munshi†rather the traders who can focus on their business. However, the CAIT is much against the tax evaders and in favour of giving exemplary punishment to them.
Mr Bhartia & Mr Khandelwal said that for its campaign “ Vyapari Sanvad“ the CAIT has identified about 1200 hundred cities in different states which will be visited by special team formed by the CAIT which will reach to general traders and will apprise them about value of being a vote bank in the Country to seek redressal of grievances.
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