Rejecting the Opposition’s claim that the rise of online shopping is adversely affecting small traders, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said there is no evidence of distress, in fact, the expansion of digital payments has strengthened small businesses and widened access to formal transactions at the grassroots.
Replying to a question raised by MLA, Sh. Balwan Singh Daulatpuria, during Question Hour during the ongoing Budget Session of the State Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that under the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has emerged as a major force in digital transactions, with even street vendors and hawkers now using UPI-based payment systems.
There is no difficulty being faced by any trader or shopkeeper. If there is a problem, it is only for the Congress, said the Chief Minister. Responding to the proposal of imposing heavy taxes on online shopping to support small retailers, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the Opposition’s argument reflected a lack of understanding of the facts. Such statements are made in the absence of proper information, he said.
Referring to the Covid-19 period, the Chief Minister said that the Centre had provided interest-free loans of up to Rs. 10,000 to street vendors to ensure they did not face hardship. He reiterated that traders are not facing any difficulty, adding that the only concern appears to be political and that transactions are increasingly taking place through digital channels.
CM flags absence of Congress MLAs
Taking a swipe at the Opposition, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said a majority of Congress MLAs were not present in the House during Question Hour. The Opposition appears so frustrated and disheartened that its members did not even come to hear replies to their own questions.
If they are not present for that, how will they effectively raise the issues of the people in the House? he said.