Giving a major relief to the electronic weight manufacturers, the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak Minister today abolished the practice of submission of hard copies of sale/purchase vouchers during mandatory inspections by the staff of the Department of Legal Metrology.
This is expected to give a major relief to the industry and protect their business interests by maintaining confidentiality of business transactions. Sharing these details after a meeting with the representatives of the Weights and Measures Industrial Association, Punjab, the Minister said that henceforth the original vouchers would be returned on the spot after comparing them against the information furnished by the manufacturers to the Department.
Giving a further relief to the Industry and coming down heavily on red tapism, the Minister abolished quarterly inspections prevalent in the Department and replaced them with annual inspections. If annual scrutiny of GST and Income Tax returns are deemed sufficient, then there is no need for quarterly inspections for the Industry” said the Minister adding that he was committed to abolishing all such practices that are not Industry-friendly.
Elaborating further, the Minister added that a self certification system would soon be developed for the manufacturers, along with a randomised selected inspection protocol, that would further give relief to the industry. However, at the same time he cautioned the industry against furnishing any false information as the same will invite strict action under the Metrology Act.
Among others present on the occasion included Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, and Controller Legal Metrology, Parampal Kaur Sidhu.