Cloth merchants shut against GST
Tribune News Service
Ambala, June 15
The cloth market remained closed here today to protest the Centre’s decision to levy 5 per cent goods and services tax (GST) on textiles. A cloth merchant said taxes would make it difficult for small traders to do their business.
“The Centre has decided to impose 5 per cent tax on textiles and 12 per cent on readymade garments, which is unacceptable. It should withdraw its decision or we will be forced to keep shops closed for a longer period,” said Harish Chadha, president of the Ambala Hosiery and Textile Market Association.
REWARI: Cloth markets wore a deserted look on Thursday as all wholesale and retail merchants shut their shops. Merchants said they had been passing through a difficult phase due to slowdown since demonetisation. They threatened to hit the streets if cloth trade was not taken out of the GST ambit.
“It is for the first time that any tax has been imposed on the sale of clothes. The GST regime has come into effect at a time when cloth merchants are struggling due to adverse effects of demonetisation,” said Arun Sehgal, a local cloth merchant.
Rajeev Jain, another trader, said it was not feasible to follow all GSTguidelines. “Retailers buy clothes from wholesalers on credit, return unsold clothes and pay as per convenience. It is not easy to maintain ledgers in this situation,” said Madan Lal, yet another trader.
KARNAL: Cloth merchants shut their shops on Thursday to oppose the new GST regime. Some merchants refused to seek GST registration, citing that the industry had always been exempted from tax. Various associations jointly observed a bandh here.
They handed over a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to DC Mandeep Singh Brar. “We handed over a memorandum to local Member of Parliament Ashwini Chopra two days back,” said Narinder Bamba, president of the Karnal Suit and Saree Traders Association.
PANIPAT: Thousands of cloth merchants observed a day-long bandh here on Thursday. Members of around 40 associations took out a march towards the Mini-Secretariat here. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister to the City Magistrate.
“Around 25,000 small-scale cloth-manufacturing units and 1,500 cloth shops remained closed. The bandh hit business of around Rs 1,000 crore while around 3 lakh labourers remained without work,” said Rakesh Chugh, president of the Chamber of Manufacturing of Textile Association.
