PPBM Ludhiana Unit presents memorandum to DC regarding single use plastic ban and GST on non-branded food items 

Ludhiana, July 18, 2022: Ludhiana Unit of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) under the leadership of state general secretary Sunil Mehra, district secretary Pawan Leharand secretary Ayush Aggarwal presented a memorandum to Surabhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana regarding single use plastic ban and GST on non-branded food items. 

The memorandum said that in the wake of imposition of ban on single use plastic w.e.f. 1st July,2022, the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal has sent a communication to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav urging for a one year lean period with a conciliatory approach instead of coercive methods for the implementation of the ban, formation of a joint committee of officials and stakeholders for developing equitable alternatives and launching of a nation-wide education and awareness drive, support policy for manufacturing units for switching over their business to other alternatives and thereby protecting the huge employment, the Industry is currently having and plugging the usage of single plastic use at the end of manufacturers of different commodities. Alternates to single use plastic like paper which is made from timber is also effecting environment. In India eighty eight thousand units are manufacturing single use plastic products employing one million people. We understand the need to shift from single use plastic but it should be in phased manner by developing alternatives and by protecting livelihood of stakeholders. The mandal demanded to postpone the ban for another one year and meanwhile fetch and implement alternatives to save trade and industry.

Regarding 5% GST on all types of pre-labelled and pre-packed food items, the memorandum said there is a lot of anger and outrage among the food items traders of the country on the recommendation of the GST Council for bringing all types of pre-packed and pre- labelled foodgrains and other items under the GST tax slab of 5% which will cause huge loss of business to foodgrain traders across the Country. This decision will empower big brands to capture the market at the cost of small manufacturers and traders. Special food items, cereals, etc., which were not branded till now, were exempted from GST. With this decision of the council, pre-packaged and pre-labeled retail packs including pre-packaged, pre-labeled curd, lassi and buttermilk will now attract GST tax and will cause huge damage to the business of food grains traders in more than 6500 grain markets across the country. According to this decision, now if a grocery shopkeeper also sells food items packed with any mark for identification of his item only, then he will have to pay GST on that food item. After this decision, agricultural products with pre-packaged labels like paneer, buttermilk, packaged curd, wheat flour, other cereals, papad, food grains, meat and fish (except frozen), puffed rice and jaggery etc. will also become costlier. These items are used by the common man of the country and sold by small traders and farmers. In the interest of common man, small traders and micro industry the mandal requested to revoke the decision of GST council to implement 5% GST on all types of pre-labelled and pre packed food items. 

Ramesh Mahajan, Harish Saggar, Banwari Harjai, Advocate Manish Ahuja, Rajesh Kashyap, Om Prakash Bhardwaj, Jeevan Mehra, Gurcharan Singh and others were present on the occasion. 

The deputy commissioner assure to look into the matter and forward demands of the mandal to higher authorities.