Bajwa assures full support to business community, seeks to withdraw e-trip system

Amritsar, August 11, 2013: Partap Singh Bajwa, President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) today assured to business community full support by Congress party against the unfair practices of SAD-BJP government and demanded to withdraw e-trip system of tax collection.

Bajwa was addressing a meeting of Amritsar traders here in Katra Sant Singh organised by O.P.Soni Vice President of the PPCC. The business leaders of holy city accorded warm welcome to Bajwa and shared their problems in detail. Bajwa welcomed Arun Mehra and Manu Mehra a sitting councillor and Kamal Nain Gullu former councilor into Congress party.

Bajwa said that extension of eastern industrial corridor between Kolkata and Delhi to Amritsar by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh would revive business activities in the border districts. He said that high rates of VAT and other taxes like property tax on commercial properties were affecting the business activities in the state. The high power tariff is another major reason that industry is reeling under financial crunch. He said that no concessions were offered by SAD-BJP government for the small industry and trades. He said that BJP the alliance partner of SAD in Punjab had failed to address the problems of traders.

He said that Congress was against e-trip system of tax collection which is not in the interest of small businesses. He said that it would not be viable for the small traders to set up computers and technical people to cope with the requirements of e-trip system. He said that SAD-BJP government was punishing the business community for its own failures. He said that the government was imposing taxes on all sections of people to cover up budget deficit. He said that poor governance was major reason for bad economy of the state. He said that Punjab had slipped from first to sixth rank in economic performance.

Bajwa said that Amritsar was business hub and key export center of North India before the partition in 1947. He regretted that in recent times the glory of Amritsar city has diminished. He said that the business community was the major sufferer of apathy of SAD-BJP government towards this border city. He said that if cross border trade was opened with Pakistan Amritsar would be major beneficiary. He said that UPA Government at center had taken many steps to facilitate the traders. An integral Check post was established at Attari border for this purpose.

O.P.Soni said that SAD-BJP government had ruined the trade and industry in Amritsar. He said that the small scale industry of Amritsar faced closure due to lack of support from state government. He said that in the industrial policy, no concessions were given for the small and medium industrial units. He said that SAD-BJP government had not taken any concrete steps for development of Amritsar except for making announcements. He said that business men of Amritsar and for that reason of whole Punjab were fed up with the policies of SAD-BJP government. He said that whatever development was visible in Amritsar was done during Congress party regime when he was Mayor of the city.

Others who addressed the meeting included Karamjit singh Rintu, Jugal kishore Sharma, Harpartap singh Ajnala, Sukhjinder singh Randhawa, Anoop Singh Bhullar and Snil Dutti.