Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the meeting with the Himachal Pradesh Veopar Mandal here today announced that a Committee would be constituted headed by Secretary Agriculture to rationalize market fee on commodities in the State to facilitate the traders.
Chief Minister said that the State Government was committed for the welfare of the traders and has initiated several schemes for their welfare. He said that Government has launched various schemes for their smooth business and it has improved its ranking in Ease of Doing Business from 16th rank to 7th rank.
Jai Ram Thakur said that GST Advisory Committee would be constituted at State, District and Tehsil levels to ensure better coordination between the government and traders. He said that this would also reduce footfalls in government offices. He said that the State Government would also sympathetically consider the demand of setting up of Traders Welfare Fund to provide relief to the traders and their families in distress. He said that the Government would also examine the issue of bringing the traders under Group Insurance Scheme.
He said that State Government has recently launched Tax Haat Programme for time bound redressal of the compliance related queries and issues of the stakeholders and to make them aware of the changes taking place in GST law and procedures. The department is also focusing on the increasing voluntary compliance for GST revenue enhancement, he added.
Chief Minister said that all the irrelevant rules would be wiped out to ensure feel good attitude amongst the traders. He said that meetings of Traders Welfare Board would be held regularly so that issues pertaining to welfare of traders could be discussed. He said that Government would also ensure the health officials or any government authority lifting samples from the shops make payment in that respect immediately to the traders.
Jai Ram Thakur said that Government would also rationalize the opening and closing time of shops and other business establishments to facilitate the traders to safeguard their interests
Commissioner State Taxes and Excise Yunus welcomed the Chief Minister and conducted the proceedings of the meeting.
President Himachal Pradesh Veopar Mandal Sumesh Kumar Sharma thanked the Chief Minister for being considerate towards the demands of the trading community.
Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Education Minister Govind Singh Thakur, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajinder Garg, Principal Secretary State Taxes and Excise Subhasish Panda, Principal Secretary R.D. Nazeem, Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, General Secretary H.P. Veopar Mandal Rakesh Kailash and other office bearers of the Mandal were present on the occasion.
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