Union minister Hardeep Puri to form joint committees with Traders in each Smart City

Feb 11,2022

Addressing a conference “ Vyapari Samvad” at Ludhiana organised by the Confederation of All India Traders ( CAIT) on Friday, Union minister Hardeep Puri assured in in candid words that Centre is fully committed to protect small businesses ( CAIT) on Friday, Union minister assured in
candid words that Centre is fully committed to protect small
businesses of the country from onslaughts of law violaters.
He also said that the process of rationalisation &
simplification of GST tax structure has already began but
being a federal subject, the traders should also put their
focus on State Governments to draw regulatory decisions in
GST Council to make it a more simpler Act for which the
Union government is committed.
On a suggestion made by CAIT, Puri declared to constitute
committees in every identified Smart City. He agreed that
Smart Traders using smart technology is the back bone of
Smart City concept of the Government.He called upon the
trading community of the Country to upgrade and
modernise their existing format of trade to meet domestic and and global challenges and secure a substantial share in
global trade. The traders are the carriers of growth engine of
the economy and as such deserve all sorts of support from
the Government in the larger interest of the Country.
The CAIT has began a national campaign of Vyapari Samvad
from 1st February to 28th February across the Country and
conferences held at Ludhiana and Jullundur were the part of
series of such campaign. The CAIT is holding a similar
conference tomorrow at Amritsar in which Puri after having
discussions with trade will spell out steps of the Union
Government on micro and macro level of Indian economy.
Beside CAIT National Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal,
CAIT National Secretary Sumit Agarwal, CAIT
Chairman Piara Lal Seth and large number traders and
Industrialists were present at both the conferences .
Puri further said that complications in GST needs to be
addressed immediately, impressed the need for an e
commerce policy and Retail Trade Policy and Regulatory
Authority for e-commerce, Involving local Trade Associations
in Smart City Project, providing one licence instead of
multiple licenses, abrogation of archaic laws concerning
trade were raised whereas Punjab centric problems were
also raised strongly.
Puri assured that he will confer on each problem and within
next few days will send CAIT his written responses and will
surely work for them. He said the Central Government is
always open for the dialogues. He also said that for a robust
trade growth cost of logistics needs to be curtailed .
Currently it is 16% in India, 12% in USA, 12% in European Union Union, 10% in China . The Government is actively working on
it. He said that Industry and agriculture are parents of trade
and as such whatever development is made on both these
sectors and infrastructure, the ultimate beneficiary is trade
because it holds the supply chain of the Country and no one
can negate the important role of traders in carrying the
supply chain to the end consumer.