Jammu: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) and Information Choudhary Zulfkar Ali Monday chaired a meeting to discuss the impact of GST on unsold stock of pre-packed commodities.
The officers of Commercial Taxes, Legal Metrology and FCS&CA discussed preventive measures to check profiteering on unsold stock of pre-packed commodities after the implementation of GST in the State. The meeting suggested various steps to be taken for safeguarding the rights of the consumers.
In the meeting, the Minister directed the enforcement agencies to remain on their toes during the transition period so that the traders don’t overcharge from the consumers. He asked them to ensure that the benefit of GST reach to the consumers till commodities under new tax regime hit the markets.
He further directed them to assist the trading community in shifting to GST regime by providing them with technical expertise. “They should also be told strictly to refrain from selling products without computerized billing” he directed adding it should be made clear to traders that the revised rates of the commodities be properly displayed on the bills.
The Minister asked for conducting awareness programs in far flung and inaccessible areas for saving the consumers from falling prey to the erring traders.
He asked the Commercial Taxes Department to organize a workshop for the officers of FCS&CA and Legal Meteorology Department to educate them about various aspects of GST including its background, concept, registration, types of taxes and difference between the new tax regime (GST) and VAT. The industrialists and traders should also be involved in the workshop, he stressed.
Commissioner Secretary FCS&CA, Shafiq Ahmad Raina, Commissioner Commercial Taxes, P I Khateeb, Director FCS&CA R A Inqalabi, Additional Commissioner Commercial Taxes, Anu Malhotra, Joint Controller LMD, Amar Singh, Deputy Controller LMD, Manoj Prabhakar, Assistant Directors and Inspectors were present in the meeting.
