Odisha traders’ body seeks PM intervention for simpler tax rules

Bhubaneswar: Traders in Odisha sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to simplify Goods and Services Tax (GST). In a letter to the Prime Minister, Odisha Byabasyee Mahasangha’s (Federation of All Odisha Traders Association) Secretary General Sudhakar Panda requested him to consider withdrawal of two notifications issued by the Centre on December 22, 2020 and January 1, 2021 regarding the Central Tax.

Panda further stated due to Covid, the traders in the country have been affected. At this juncture, the Centre’s two notifications issued on December 22, 2020 and January 1, 2021 on the tax surprised the traders.

“If these rules are not withdrawn the entire trade cycle will fail and will affect tax collection adversely. Therefore, to encourage the ease of doing business we request to withdraw the rules at the earliest,” the letter read.

If compliance are made easy and trade friendly, the traders’ body assured that tax base as well as tax collection will increase many folds under the leadership of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

The State trader’s body proposed to form a committee consisting of departmental personnel, ministers, tax experts under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister to discuss the Act and rules and changes in the help the traders to do business without hampering the revenue collection.