After meeting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the Finance Ministry office in New Delhi, the President of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Associations, A.M. Vikramaraja, addressed the media.
He said that the delegation had expressed gratitude to the Finance Minister for reducing the number of GST slabs from four to two. The team also urged the Centre to introduce further reforms in the GST framework.
Vikramaraja noted that since the implementation of GST in 2017, there have been several complications and errors, resulting in notices being issued to traders. He urged the Minister to resolve such lingering issues that have affected business owners.
He further said that during festival seasons, traders face unnecessary disruptions from inspections by GST officials. The association requested that no GST-related inspections be carried out during festive periods, as they cause inconvenience to both traders and the public.
The delegation also pressed for tax exemptions on commonly used essential goods during festivals, to provide relief to the general public.
Vikramaraja announced that on November 11, a thanksgiving event will be held in Tamil Nadu to appreciate the Finance Minister for initiating major GST rate reductions. The association has invited Nirmala Sitharaman to attend the event, and she has agreed to participate and address traders’ concerns related to GST.
He further emphasized the need for full tax exemption on essential food items consumed by the poor and middle-class families — including rice, pulses, cooking oil, milk, tamarind, chilli, and coriander, in any form.
Additionally, the association urged the formation of a special committee comprising trade representatives to discuss and resolve various GST-related issues faced by the business community.
Finally, Vikramaraja requested the government to completely exempt the tax on idli and dosa batter, which is widely consumed as a staple food across Tamil Nadu.