Union Joint Secretary (JS), Department of Commerce, Sudhanshu Pandey today called upon the district administrations to train educated youth and traders to overcome the teething problems post Goods and Services Tax implementation in the state.He was chairing a meeting here to review the impact of GST regime since one month of its implementation in Jammu and Kashmir.The meeting was attended by DDC Ramban, Tariq Hussain Ganai, DC, Commercial Tax, Jammu, SSP Ramban Mohan Lal, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Angrez Singh Rana, PO ICDS Ashok Pandita, ACR, Vevaik Puri, CPO Uttam Singh, officers of various department and members of business fraternity of Ramban, Banihal, Gool and Batote in large numbers.The Union Joint Secretary directed the Commercial Tax Department and District Administration to hold training sessions for different categories of tax payers for the effective implementation of GST. The Union secretary suggested for preparing educated youth at local level to overcome the teething problems.He directed the enforcement agencies to keep close check on overcharging and ensure that there was no shortage of consumer items adding that special emphasis should be laid to check inflation.
Taking stock of the ground impact of the new tax regime, he asked the district administration and state commercial taxes and excise department to ensure that retailers, dealers, shopkeepers are made aware about dealings under GST system.He stressed that benefits of GST should be passed on to consumers which would in turn also keep inflation under control. He directed for regular inspections to check the billing machines and computers used by dealers, retailers for computerized billing.While interacting with businessmen and other stakeholders, he said that the government wants to know the apprehensions, doubts and genuine problems that are anticipated by industries and traders with the implementation of GST Act in the state and resolve them.He exhorted upon the contractors, shopkeepers and traders to go for registration under GST so that their business shall not suffer. He said, “District Administration in cooperation with state commercial taxes and excise department will be holding series of orientation programmes on GST Act to acquaint all stakeholders with its provisions.”The contractors and traders also highlighted their issues and raised queries during interaction session.The DC Commercial Tax assured that all their issues would be looked into.Earlier resource persons explained to the businessmen about the procedure for smooth migration into new tax regime.