Arvind Kejriwal asks for setting up of committees to help traders hit by demonetisation, GST

On the first anniversary of Centre's demonetisation move, the Delhi government on Tuesday announced it would extend relief to traders whose businesses were affected by it. The government also announced they would constitute committees to help it in taking decisions related to the newly introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that demonetisation, followed by introduction of the new tax regime GST, had adversely affected the interests of traders. "More than 40-50 per cent of small ventures/small industries have been shutdown in industrial areas of Delhi, which has shaken the economy as thousands of youth working there have become jobless," he said in a statement.

He suggested that Delhi government fix GST at 12 per cent on all commodities, with 6 per cent of the tax resting with the central government and 6 per cent given to state governments to carry out developmental activities.

Kejriwal also directed the Trade and Tax Department to set up GST market support committees to make suggestions to the government on the new tax regime. "These committees can make WhatsApp groups of their respective market associations and collect their suggestions, which can later be put to the forum of GST council for broader decision-making," he said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also said that regular interaction with traders is a must for better understanding of their issues. "The traders are on ventilators due to the ill-effects of the levy of GST," he said.