Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 3: Traders Federation Ware House Nehru Market, led by President Deepak Gupta, today held a meeting with Dr Rashmi Singh, Commissioner of State Taxes, to address the challenges faced by the trading community.
During the meeting, Deepak Gupta presented a memorandum outlining the traders’ issues and demands.
A major concern raised was the unnecessary checking of goods after Lakhanpur, despite Jammu and Kashmir being a Union Territory where a majority of food items are imported from other states. The traders argued that they had already paid GST on these goods and questioned the need for multiple check posts and nakas throughout Jammu.
They proposed a single check post after Lakhanpur for goods transportation from Jammu to Kashmir, eliminating further checkpoints within Jammu.
The delegation highlighted the unique geographical challenges of Jammu and Kashmir, including adverse weather conditions and road closures, leading to delays in transporting goods. They faced difficulties adhering to e-way bill regulations, often incurring fines due to minor technical issues. The traders suggested that the focus should be on verifying GST payment and preventing tax evasion, rather than penalizing for technical flaws.
Deepak Gupta called for an increase in the e-way bill limit from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh, considering significant inflation and price increases over the past six years.
He also urged for the release of fixed deposits (FDs) of traders from the VAT regime without unnecessary paperwork, as the VAT period had already matured.
Additionally, the delegation emphasized the need for awareness among traders regarding GST rules and recommended training programs for the department’s online system.
As per a statement, Dr Rashmi Singh appreciated the suggestions and assured that measures would be taken to raise awareness. She sought the support and cooperation of the traders in implementing these initiatives.
The meeting was attended by other notable individuals, including Munish Gupta, Senior Vice President, Abhimanyu Gupta, Vice President, Amit Gupta, Cashier of the Federation, and Yashpal Gupta, President of Retailers Federation.
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