Finally, govt abolishes e-Trip

Bipin Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, January 30

The Punjab Government has finally decided to abolish the e-Trip system and has announced VAT exemption for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs 1 crore.

This exemption has been granted retrospectively. Traders who have not filed their annual assessment for 2008-09 have been exempted from the same.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal made these announcements at a function here today.

He said to implement the “Rahat Scheme”, a toll-free helpline (1800-258-2580) had been launched for the business community. They could register their grievances as well as make suggestions.

He said the e-Trip system had been done away with for iron and steel, yarn, vegetable oil, mustard oil, cotton and the paper board industry. He said a new self-assessment policy had been launched for the traders.

The state government had held meetings and discussions with representatives of the industry after which it had decided to abolish e-Trip, fixing a tax rate of 3.5 per cent plus 10 per cent surcharge.

The Deputy Chief Minister announced a new tax slab and extended the ‘Rahat Scheme’ for shopkeepers in Class-I towns and corporation towns. He said these measures would eliminate ‘inspector raj’. He said there would be no tax increase for three years. After that, a marginal increase of 5 per cent had been proposed. Sukhbir announced free insurance for dealers with a turnover of up to Rs 1 crore.

He said insurance cover would be provided for accidental death and disability (Rs 2 lakh), health (Rs 50,000) and fire (Rs 5 lakh).