Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 18: To make up the losses incurred during last couple of years due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Traders Federation (TF) ware House-Nehru Market today urged the State Taxes Department (GST) to deal with the trader fraternity of the region considerately.
The demand in this regard was raised by traders, in a meeting held under the Presidentship of Deepak Gupta.
Addressing to the traders, Deepak Gupta said, “The GST Department should show a considerate view towards the traders’ fraternity and not impose unnecessary restrictions on the name of inspections in this Festive season as the business community is already facing a lot of hardships. Currently, the festive season is going on and traders are expecting good business but due to few officers of the department, businessmen are facing a lot of difficulties.”
Raising the issue of unnecessary checking after Lakhanpur, Gupta said that Jammu and Kashmir is a UT, where up to 90 percent of food items come from other States. We import almost everything. In such a situation, whatever goods come to us, we have already paid GST on them. Nevertheless, all the goods are checked in Lakhanpur. Now, when all the goods are checked in Lakhanpur, then what is the point of checking by putting nakas at various places? This is just to harass the traders.”
“There should be only one check post after Lakhanpur to check goods transporting from Jammu to Kashmir. Apart from this, there should be no check post or naka in Jammu,” he added.
Gupta urged upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Dy. Chief Minister Surinder Chowdhary to intervene so that the traders of Jammu may heave a sigh of relief.
Among others who attended the meeting included Munish Mahajan, Abhimanyu Gupta, Sham Lal Langer, Vishal Gupta, Rajesh Bhagotra, Kirti Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Anil Gupta, Rajesh Gupta and Rattan Lal Gupta.