Traders To Launch Nationwide Agitation For Repeal Of ‘Unfair Provision Of GST And FSSAI Acts’

Pune, January 10, 2021: Traders community has decided to launch a nationwide agitation to repeal the unfair provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) Act and amendments to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act. The decision took place in the Maharashtra statewide summit which was organized by the apex body of traders- Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) today in Pune.

CAIT Maharashtra Unit organized the one day summit to discuss trader related issues like e-commerce, FSSAI Act and amendments to GST Act, Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act etc.

In the summit following resolution were passed demanding to train traders to compete with MNCs, to set up traders’ co-operative societies, to have a single license like Aadhaar card for trade, to pursue the Central and State Governments for formulating policy for the digital market and proper and effective implementation of e-commerce laws, cancel the unfair GST and FSSAI provisions.

CAIT members and representatives of 36 districts participated in the summit. CAIT national president BC Bhartiya, CAIT founder Chairman Mahendrabhai Shah, national general secretary Pravin Khandelwal, executive chairman of Maharashtra Rajendra Bathiya, president Dilip Kumbhojkar, joint secretary Raikumar Nahar, joint general secretary Sachin Nivagune, JITO national vice-chairman Vijay Bhandari, JITO national organizing minister Lalit Gandhi were present in the meeting.

They also passed a resolution demanding strong action against e-commerce companies. “It is requested that an e-commerce policy should be announced immediately with an explicit provision of an empowered Regulatory Authority to regulate and monitor the e-commerce business in India”, CAIT resolution states.

It was also decided in the summit that the government should appoint a committee with appropriate powers, and appoint a joint committee at the national level comprising traders and government officials from local to vocal to take the campaign announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the grassroots. At the same time, a district committee should be appointed in each district at the state level and legal action should be taken against the e-commerce companies who violate norms.

All traders in the food business have been required to register under the FSSAI Act. It has provision for fines and imprisonment. A resolution was passed to demand its repeal.

Participants agreed to oppose and change the Central government’s new amendment in GST which has given unlimited powers to the officers to revoke the trader’s license without any prior notice.