Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal says SAD-BJP to see defeat in next elections if fails to charge its policies

Ludhiana, October 16, 2013: Expressing a deep concern over the “anti-trade” policies of the state government, the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal had warned that the traders would come on the roads if their problems and grievances were not redressed.
At a meeting of the mandal here today, it was said traders had voted to the ruling alliance to come to power and if the ruling alliance in Punjab did not change its policies then the government might have to see the face of “defeat”.
The meeting decided that a State-level Traders Convention would be held under the leadership of the mandal’s state president Amrit Lal Jain to discuss all these issues.
The meeting of the mandal was held here today, under the presidentship of the mandal’s state general secretary Sunil Mehra and state secretary Mohinder Aggarwal, in which great resentment was expressed over imposing newer and newer taxes by the state government.
The meeting strongly observed that a great resentment prevails among traders’ community against the “anti-trade” policies of the state government. The meeting among others was also addressed by the mandal’s district president Kasturi Lal Mittal, vice president Kamal Gupta and Charanjit Bhargav. The office-bearers said the trades were nearing to closures because of bureaucracy. They said the state government was bent upon loading people unwanted with taxes and on the side the state government was providing facilities to ruralites.
The meeting strongly felt concern that the state government was providing free power worth Rs. 5,600 crore to ruralites. On the other side, industries were closing due to shortage of power and steep rise in power tariff. They regretted that nobody from the government side was able to give answer to the fact that crores of rupees had been collected from people in the form of ACD without informing them.
Further, they regretted that the functioning of sales tax department had got deteriorated, furnaces were getting closed and VAT rules were being flouted openly. Even the managements were being harassed on the name of checking of premises of yarn factory owners.
The meeting felt that textile industry had started migration in view of advance tax. It was sad about 100 textile units had already migrated to Panipat and Baddi because of ongoing “anti-industry” policies of the present state government.
The meeting expressed concern that unnecessary delay was being caused in releasing VAT refunds to dealers. Besides, the traders were being harassed by laying nakas at various places in view of festival season.
The meeting felt that the trader and industry was already suffering because of e-TRIP system introduced recently in Punjab and freedom to trade had been curtailed by introducing this new system. With this corruption had increased, the meeting observed.
It also opposed property tax introduced recently. The meeting observed that this tax was an additional economic burden on people. Besides, unnecessary taxes worth crores of rupees were being imposed for regularising the colonies whereas the bureaucrats were keeping their eyes closed at the time of the setting up of these colonies. It was observed that everything was being done under a “conspiracy”.
Sunil Mehra said at the time of assembly elections, the ruling SAD-BJP alliance had promised to abolish Inspector System. Rather, the state government was further encouraging this system by introducing newer taxes and newer systems of collecting taxes in Punjab. He said the ruling alliance had also forgotten its election promise of consulting traders’ bodies before introducing any new tax in the state.
Among others, Sushil Jain, Pawan Lehar, Lokesh Jain, Ashwani Mahajan, Parveen Sharma, Naresh Sharma, Harish Kapila, Gursharan Singh, Radjey Sham Ahuja, Rakesh Vohra, Sandeep Thapar Gora, Ramesh Garg and Indermohan Singh were present. www.cityairnews.com