Bajwa demands immediate solution to concerns raised by traders

Chandigarh, July 29, 2014: The Punjab  Congress President, Partap Singh Bajwa, has called upon the state government to address the issues concerning the trading community in the state without any delay. The issues raised by the trading community must be given priority by the state government.

In a statement issued here today, Bajwa asserted the VAT scandal was brought to the notice of the government earlier but no action had been taken. Rampant corruption prevailed in this department. He pointed out  VAT refund was not being given by for the last many months and the arrears amounted to hundreds of crores. No interest was being paid on this VAT. On the one hand India wanted to compete with China while on the other, the state government was putting unnecessary financial burden on trades and industries. A big amount of money is invested on the VAT and the exporters are paying interest on this amount. This was creating functional problems making survival difficult in the competitive market. The new procedure for factory license renewal and enhancement if renewal fee by three times was uncalled for. He also demanded that worksheet 7 be abolished altogether.

He said about 60 per cent of  industry had already migrated to other states due to wrong policies and more were planning  which would be ruinous for the state. Industry is already being punished by entry tax. He said the traders were on the  path of agitation  demanding withdrawal of new VAT forms and the related issues including the property tax. He extended full support to  the  concerns and demands expressed by the trading community in the state.

“What is all the more significant dimension of the controversy is that the ruling Akali Dal is ignoring the pleas from the BJP ministers who have gone public against their own government  on this issue and the decisions taken by the cabinet are the collective responsibility of the ruling alliance. After the Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi, it is the Forest Minister Chuni Lal Bhagat who has taken up cudgels on behalf of the traders. This shows that the BJP ministers lack any say in the decision making process. At the same time, they don’t have the guts to come out of the government”, he added.

He called upon the BJP ministers to come out of the government if they were feeling so helpless rather than facing such humiliation at the hands of the senior alliance partner.