GST help desk for traders: CM

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 14

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said that a help desk would be set up to facilitate traders to make them aware of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and those businessmen who were under the fold of service tax would also come under the GST.

Presiding over the Traders Welfare Board meeting held here today, he said it was on the demand of the traders that the state government had imposed entry tax on the purchase of online goods and purchases. He added that the entertainment tax for ropeways and cinema halls had also been reduced from 25 to 10 per cent.

The Chief Minister said that camps and workshops would be organized for the traders and business community separately for making them understand the intricacies of the GST. Keeping this in mind, the Excise and Taxation Department would be expanded to function smoothly. This will not only help the traders to carry on their business but will also add to the revenue of the government.

He said the state government had signed an agreement with the National Insurance Company to cover all the registered traders under Group Accidental Insurance Scheme, 2016.

The Chief Minister said the government was always considerate to the demands of the traders and had introduced the deemed assessment system. On the demand of the traders, the provision for submitting quarterly returns, under the Entry Tax Act had been made on the analogy of value added tax for those having business of less than Rs 5 crore. Besides, facility had been provided to the traders to submit Provisional Registration Certificates within three working days under the VAT rule.

“The government had facilitated the traders by enabling filling of the combined return of Value Added Tax (VAT), Central Sales Tax (CST) and the entry Tax. Besides, the government has started online e-payment of VAT and CST so that the traders do not have to unnecessarily visit the banks,” said Virbhadra.

He said the state government was planning to promote electric operated vehicles so as to ensure pollution-free environment and had decided to exempt taxes for such vehicles. Apart from this, the tax rate on anti-hail nets had been reduced from 13.75 to 5 per cent to facilitate the horticulturists and farmers. The government had also reduced the tax rate on LED lights and fixed it as five per cent.

Earlier, Beopar Mandal, Mandi led by general secretary Rajesh Mahendru honoured the Chief Minister and thanked him for the steps taken for the welfare of traders of the state.