BENGALURU: Small-Scale traders and vendors, who were protesting against the Goods and Service Tax (GST) notices linked to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions exceeding Rs 40 lakh per year, called off their protest on Wednesday.
All bakeries, condiments and other small businesses will operate as usual from Thursday.
Speaking to TNIE, President of Karnataka Karmika Parishat Ravi Shetty Byndoor said, “We were assured by the Commercial Taxes Department that the GST notices would be withdrawn and that those who received the notices need not reply to it. We were also assured that the tax arrears as claimed in the GST notices will not be pursued. These were our major demands and they have been addressed.”
Thousands of small-scale traders and vendors were on a protest by wearing black bands and ribbons over their foreheads and arms and were gearing up for a one-day bandh on Friday. As part of the protests, bakery and condiment shop owners chose not to sell milk and allied products like curd, buttermilk, tea, which are their major source of revenue, on Wednesday.
Byndoor said that they boycotted the meeting called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah related to the GST issue and later withdrew the protest after the promise of fulfilling their demands by the Commercial Taxes Department. Byndoor said that going forward, the department will hold GST tax awareness workshops and added that they have requested the traders with turnover exceeding Rs 40 lakh annually to get GST registration and begin compliance.
FKCCI lauds CM’s outreach to traders on GST notices
The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) lauded Chief Minister, stating that he addressed the concerns of small traders regarding the recent GST notices issued. FKCCI President M G Balakrishna said, “The government’s assurance that goods traders will not be taxed and that arrears will be waived upon registration has restored traders’ confidence.”
He added, “The CM has emphasised that the government is for the poor and the working class. Empowering small traders increases purchasing power and drives grassroots economic growth. FKCCI will now intensify its support by organising handholding programs and digital literacy workshops to facilitate GST registration and compliance.”