Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 16: Showing strong resentment over the GST Council’s decision to levy 5 percent GST on pre-packed and pre-labelled food grains, curd, butter milk etc., different trade bodies under the banner of Traders Federation Ware House Nehru Market (Jammu) held a strong protest today.
Click here to watch video
Traders assembled near the Police Post Ware House under the presidentship of Deepak Gupta and held protest demonstration against the GST Council. Deepak Gupta, on this occasion, said that the decision to levy 5 per cent GST on pre-packed and labelled food items will cause loss of business to food grain traders, increase compliance burden and also raise the prices of unbranded everyday essentials which will be another burden on common man.
Stating that earlier only branded versions of these items attract 5 percent GST, Deepak Gupta said that only 15 percent of the population in the country uses branded goods while 85 percent of the population uses things without a brand or mark. Now these 85 percent people will also have to bear the tax burden, he said, adding, on one hand our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is distributing free ration to the poor and on the other hand the GST Council is levying 5 percent tax on the food of the common man. He said this decision will empower big brands to capture the market at the cost of small manufacturers and traders.
On this occasion Yash Pal Gupta, president of Retailers’ Federation said that now if a grocery shopkeeper also sells food items packed with any mark for identification of his item only, he will have to pay GST on that food item. He said after this decision, agricultural products with pre-packaged labels like paneer, buttermilk, packaged curd, wheat flour, other cereals, honey, papad, food grains, meat and fish (except frozen), puffed rice and jaggery etc. will also become costlier.
Prithvi Pal Gupta (ex general secretary CCI Jammu), Krishan Lal Gupta (chairman, Rajinder Bazar Association), Kirti Gupta (president, Dal Association), Rajesh Bhagotra (president, Sugar Association) and many other trade leaders participated in the protest.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
