The Delhi BJP today announced a number of measures for traders at a joint press conference by Delhi BJP President Shri Vijay Goel and the leaders of the Houses of the East, North and South Municipal Corporations and Chairpersons of the Standing Committees of the three Houses. These measures will help the traders in carrying out their business smoothly in areas under the East, North and South Municipal Corporations.
- The measures announced are:
- Abolition of trade licenses
- 351 roads to be declared commercial, survey of unauthorised colonies to identify roads with mixed land use and commercial use
- VAT regime to be simplified, roll back of hike in penalty,VAT refund to be timebound
- Revolving Fund for Traders’ Social Security
- High-Power Committee to address traders’ issues
Abolition of trade licenses: The East, North and South Municipal Corporations have decided to abolish the mandatory requirement of getting trade licenses after every two years for traders. The three MCDs will pass the proposal to amend the relevant act and send it to the Delhi government. Till the Delhi government clears the proposal, the MCDs will start getting the Trade Information Forms filled up. The BJP leaders also announced that no MCD official/inspector will visit the traders’ establishments till this process reaches a logical conclusion so that traders are not harassed in any way.
As per the new measures, the traders will now have to fill a Trader Information Form once in five years giving details of their trade and establishment along with an affidavit containing details of the same. In case of any change in location or business, the traders will simply have to make changes in the Trader Information Form.
351 Commercial Roads: The MCD had identified 351 roads where more than 70% activities were commercial in nature. The BJP ruled Municipal Corporations have already proposal to the Delhi government to declare all these identified roads as commercial roads. This will provide respite to lakhs of traders who have establishments along these roads. The BJP, when it comes to power in Delhi, will immediately implement this proposal.
Roads in unauthorised colonies to be brought under mixed and commercial land use category: The BJP ruled MCDs will be conducting a survey of all those roads which are eligible according to Master Plan norms to be declared mixed and commercial land use. As soon as the BJP comes to power in Delhi, it will declare all those roads in unauthorised colonies to be under mixed and commercial land use category where commercial activities are more than 50% and 70% respectively.
VAT Regime to be simplified: Filing VAT every two months will be done away with, when the BJP comes to power in Delhi. It will be made simpler for traders to file VAT with the income tax department so that they do not need an expert to file their VAT.
The Congress government has increases the penalty on VAT five times from Rs. 100 to Rs. 500 per day and from a maximum limit of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 50,000. The BJP government will roll back this hike when it comes to power. The BJP government will also ensure that there is no delay in refund of VAT. Currently, the traders feel huge delays in refund leading to massive corruption and harassment of traders. Traders’ Social Security: A Revolving Fund for social security of small traders will be created with a fixed percentage of VAT and other taxes paid by the traders, when the BJP comes to power in Delhi. The small traders and their families will be provided help in the event of an accidental fire in their shop/establishment, theft or accidental death, natural calamities or any other untoward incident which affects their social security.
High-Power Committee: When BJP comes to power in Delhi, a High-Power Committee comprising of the representatives of the Delhi government, the civic bodies and traders will be constituted. The high-power committee will be authorised take decisions on matters related to traders.
Announcing these measures, Shri Goel and senior leaders of the three Municipal Corporations said, “The abolition of trade licenses and introduction of a Trader Information Form will go a long way in helping the traders, particularly the small traders in carrying out their businesses in Delhi. It will free them from the clutches of inspector raj that has hampered trade activities in Delhi.”
“The declaration of 371 identified roads as commercial will make traders’ life hassle-free in these areas. It will remove the fear of uninvited guests from the Delhi government departments. If the Congress government doesn’t do this, the BJP will declare these roads as commercial, when it comes to the power in Delhi,” they said.
Shri Goel further said, “The present VAT regime is very complicated and cumbersome. It is difficult to file VAT without the services of an expert. Small traders are at a great disadvantage as they find it extremely difficult to file VAT online and to get refund deposits from the VAT department.”
“The small traders do not have social security cover and their families are often left in the lurch should anything untoward happen to the trader or his shop or establishment. The Revolving Fund set up from the contributions made by the traders in the form VAT and other taxes will ensure social security of the small traders and their families,” Shri Goel said.
To prevent collision between the traders and the authorities, Shri Goel, “The high-power committee comprising of the representatives of all the stake-holders will be in a position to take correct decisions on the issues related to traders and their business.”
Among others who addressed the press conference today included, Mayor of North Delhi Corporation Shri Azad Singh,Leader of all three Municipal Corporation Houses, Shri Subhash Arya, Shri Mahindra Nagpal, Shri B B Tyagi and Chairpersons of Standing Committees in all three Houses, Shri Rajesh Gehlot, Shri Ramkishen Singhal and Shri Sanjay Surjan and Delhi BJP’s Trade Cell convenor Shri Kailash Gupta.
Delhi BJP demands high level probe into idol immersion tragedy.
The Delhi BJP today expressed deep condolences over the death of 17 people during idol immersion on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi in Delhi on Wednesday. Expressing solidarity with the bereaved families, the party demanded a high level inquiry into the tragic incident.
Expressing shock and anger over the incident, Shri Goel said, “It is shocking that such a high number of casualties have taken place due to lack of adequate arrangements by the government. A high level inquiry should be commissioned to probe into the incident and guilty must be punished. The Delhi Government’s negligence is criminal considering that the festival season is just ahead and festivals like Chhath draw huge crowd to ghats at river Yamuna. Security and safety arrangements should be planned and put in place in advance.”
