NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a pension scheme for GST-registered businessmen is a gift to lakhs of traders in the national capital, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said on Saturday. According to some reports, 30 million small traders are expected to benefit from the pension scheme. The beneficiaries are mostly shopkeepers, small traders and the self-employed, who were hit hard by the November 2016 demonetisation decision.
“The PM’s first decision is dedicated to the people protecting India and lakhs of people in Delhi will also benefit by it. By announcing pension scheme for the GST registered traders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a gift to lakhs of traders of Delhi,” Tiwari was quoted as saying in a press statement.
Other than demonetization and GST, the business community is also hit hard by the sealing drive in the city. Both the AAP government and the BJP-ruled MCDs are at loggerheads over the sealing drive.
Meanwhile, Tiwari lauded the Union Cabinet’s decision to implement the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna throughout the country. “More than 3 crore farmers have received `6,000 each annually in their bank accounts. Earlier this scheme was meant for the farmers having less 2 hectares of land. Now, it is extended to all,” he said.