A delegation of the Punjab BJP led by its national vice-president Shanta Kumar today appealed to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to postpone implementation of e-trip aimed at bringing about transparency in the sale and purchase of select goods, till the misgivings of the trading community on the issue were removed.
Escorted by ministers Chuni Lal Bhagat and Anil Joshi, state president Kamal Sharma and senior leader Balramji Das Tandon, Shanta Kumar went to the Chief Minister’s residence this evening. Accompanying the delegation were representatives of various trading associations.
The Chief Minister and Shanta Kumar both talked to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on the phone. Sukhbir is the architect of the e-trip initiative. It was decided that senior leaders of both parties would hear the misgivings of the traders and resolve the matter amicably.
Tandon, when questioned, said the Punjab BJP understood that the e-trip initiative was not a new tax. However, since the traders had some genuine problems regarding implementation of the initiative, the same could be amended, if needed.
Party sources said the BJP felt that in order to remove apprehensions that small traders without access to computers would find it difficult to adopt the new system, the ceiling for enforcement of the initiative for movement of goods worth more than Rs 50,000 could be increased to Rs 1 lakh.
The government has asked manufacturers to register the movement of goods in advance on six items, including cotton, yarn, mustard, plywood, vegetable oil and iron and steel (excluding scrap).
There had been reports that manufacturers were not paying tax on goods transported to retailers. But the end-user, that is the consumer, had to pay tax on the same.
Sources said the SAD and particularly the Deputy CM had discussed the issue threadbare with the BJP leadership before ordering its implementation.
The BJP leadership was briefed that the state was losing a revenue of about Rs 250 crore to Rs 300 crore owing to tax evasion on these six items.
The BJP understands the need to mobilise revenue, keeping in view the state’s poor financial condition but is under pressure from its constituents to get the move shelved. The BJP delegation urged the Chief Minister to remove misgivings of colonisers as well as the general public on issues relating to regularising illegal colonies.
Tandon said the delegation requested the CM to ask the four-member committee formed to study the issue to expedite a resolution in view of widespread protests against the same.
The delegation also stressed the need for making money available to municipal councils and corporations for development works.
A Tight-rope walk
- The BJP admits the need to mobilise revenue but is under pressure from its constituents to get the move shelved
- The party wants misgivings of colonisers as well as the public related to regularising colonies be removed
- It wants money to be made available to municipal councils and corporations for development works
