Cloth merchants’ bandh against GST

Tribune News Service

Panipat, June 28

Markets of cloths and blankets in the city wore a deserted look today as all wholesale and retail merchants kept their shops closed in protest against the GST.

Members of over 15 associations started a two-day bandh under the banner of the Chamber of Textile Manufacturing Association (CTMA).

Members of various associations associated with the CTMA and market associations gathered at the Amar Bhawan chowk in the city and performed a ‘havan’ and gave ‘ahuti’ of GST.

“Around 5,000 small-scale cloth-manufacturing units and 2,000 cloth shops remained closed today. The bandh will hit business of Rs 500 crore in the city,” said Rakesh Chugh, president, Chamber of Manufacturing of Textile Association.

Bhivani: Cloth merchants continued with their strike for the second day here today in protest against the inclusion of cloth in the GST. The entire market remained closed. The merchants under the banner of the Cloth Merchant Association had given a three-day strike call on June 27.

Association member Praveen Jain said cloth is an essential item and the proposed tax on it would affect the common man. Traders gathered at the market and raised slogans against the government to oppose the GST.

Bhiwani Baopar Mandal president Bhanu Prakash said the associations of traders and shopkeepers, including auto union, Rehri union, Anaj Mandi Association, were supporting the strike. The traders were united on the issue of unjustified tax on essential items and some provisions of the GST.

GST not to hit textile business, says Khattar

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has made it clear that GST is not going to adversely affect the textile business as is being made out. He elaborated that textile had been placed in the slab of 5 per cent under GST and the full input tax credit of the tax paid on intermediate goods shall be allowed. Presently, there is an embedded tax of central excise duties of 3.38 per cent and 2.8 per cent of VAT on cotton yarn. Therefore, the tax at the rate of 5 per cent on fabric is not going to put any additional burden on textiles. Moreover, the cascading effect would be mitigated with the event of GST and the net effective tax on fabric would be minimal. Khattar was addressing a seminar on GST for members of Legislative Assembly, Administrative Secretaries and Head of Departments organised by Excise and Taxation Department at the CII here today. Finance and Excise and Taxation Minister, Capt. Abhimanyu said that the GST Council has taken a conscious decision to hold review meetings every month for first three months after the implementation of GST on July 1 to ensure its smooth implementation.  Additional Chief Secretary, Excise and Taxation Department Sanjeev Kaushal gave a detailed presentation on GST.  TNS