GST refunds: Ludhiana Beopar Mandal threatens stir

Traders and businessmen are up in the arms against the state government for adopting a dilly-dallying approach in releasing pending GST refunds. Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) members have expressed serious concern that despite raising the issue with the authorities concerned for over eight months, the state government has not released the pending GST and VAT refunds.

State general secretary, PPBM, Sunil Mehra, and secretary Ayush Aggarwal said though the government paid approximately Rs 220 crore in August, nearly Rs 650 crore remains pending and traders were yet to receive the crucial amount.

The Beopar Mandal members said the matter had been raised multiple times with the Ludhiana DETC, who had assured them that all pending refunds would be released soon, citing ongoing website upgrade as the reason for delays. The issue was also presented before Anil Thakur, chairman of the Punjab Trade Commission, during his visit to Ludhiana. The traders said the authorities were just providing assurances of an early resolution when the trade in the state was already weakening and traders from other states hesitate to do business due to the deteriorating law and order.

The PPBM members stressed that tax refunds serve as essential working capital for small and medium traders. Traders are being forced to take new loans due to prolonged delays, which become costlier because of the 0.25 per cent stamp duty, even those payments are delayed since refunds are not being released. The traders urged the government to clear the long-pending GST and VAT refunds.

They warned that the survival of small and medium traders was at risk and many might be forced to migrate out of the state like numerous industrialists.