Nagpur: Ex Cabinet Minister Dr. Anees Ahmed today submitted a deputation to CM Uddhav Thackeray demanding financial package for business community as a relief measure. Anees said with trading community had to face severe hardships in last year’s lockdown as there was total shut down of business , they had to face a loss of revenue for 5 months, they had difficulty in paying salaries to their staff and instalments to banks . Anees said this lockdown imposed again would break the trading community if relief package is not extended.
Dr. Ahmed said that present crucial time, it is necessary for state government to initiate urgent steps to minimize the losses incurred during the lockdown and protect their income post lockdown, else many traders will perish and will face insolvency. Anees requested that state government must bear 50% of wages of workers, and should not force the business community to bear 100% wages as even the coffers of business community are empty.
Another important point is that workforce has started migrating from the state to their home town and is appears that they will be reluctant to come back due to frequent lockdowns announced by government. To address this situation there is need for governments’ assurance to them with regards to safety at work place across the state and making appropriate transportation arrangements from their native place to their respective work place. Next on the line Ahmed demanded that Local Bodies should be directed to waive the rent for lockdown period of small and marginal self-employed vendors and traders.
Anees also demanded relaxation in electricity and water bills should be extended this time to the traders. With regards to GST Anees demanded that government to give relaxation on automatic cancellation of GST registration on non-filing GST return during the lockdown period and 30 days grace period post lockdown must be allowed for compliance in cases where Form GSTR 3B are not filed for a period of 2 or more months. He also asked the State Government to press with Union Finance Ministry to extend due date for filing GST returns by three months, Anees also strongly requested CM to personally intervene and see to it that banks defer the instalments of small business owners and producers that are becoming due in the first quarter of the financial year. He also requested the CM to ask Union Finance Ministry to come out with a policy where by banks would not declare NPAs for next 3 months.
