e-Trip: Punjab BJP asks Industry Min to hold talks with traders

CHANDIGARH: In the wake of massive protest by the state's industry over e-Trip system on trade, the Punjab unit of BJP has asked the state Industry Minister Anil Joshi to hold talks with the agitating traders to address their grievances and submit a report in this regard.

"I have been asked by BJP Punjab president Kamal Sharma to take views of industry with regard to e-Trip and submit a report over this issue," Joshi told reporters here today.

Joshi admitted that there had been widespread resentment among trade and industry fraternity over the implementation of e-Trip system by the state Excise and Taxation department.

He further acknowledged that the industry, especially small and tiny units would face problems with e-Trip system.

"The threshold limit of Rs 50,000 should be increased as demanded by trade so that small trader should be kept out of its ambit," Joshi said.

Notably, Punjab Congress yesterday accused SAD-BJP led state government of vindictively hounding the business community with draconian laws while referring to e-Trip system.

Punjab's industry yesterday held a massive protest in Ludhiana and warned of observing fast unto death from August 1 if anti-tax evasion measure is not rolled back.

Various trade bodies representing hosiery, textile, yarn, iron and steel and small scale sectors had participated in the agitation while flaying the SAD-BJP led state government for "imposing" e-Trip on trade and industry under the garb of curbing tax evasion.

The state Excise and Taxation department has brought six commodities including cotton, mustard, plywood, iron & steel (excluding scrap), yarn and vegetable oil (edible and non-edible) under e-Trip ambit, mainly to check tax evasion and under-invoicing.

Under e-Trip system, any dealer or manufacturer selling these goods within the state will be required to submit information regarding the transaction on the website of the department before physical movement of the goods takes place.

However, transactions below Rs 50,000 will be exempted.