Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Sunday announced a bonanza for traders which include ownership rights for legal occupants of shops for more than 20 years, compensation for loss of stock and buildings, free-of-cost accidental insurance cover, and rebate on the collector rate for registry of shops.
Making these announcements while addressing Virat Vyapari Sammelan in Rohtak, the Chief Minister said traders would be provided security as CCTV cameras would be installed in markets and committees would be constituted to redress their grievances at the district level.
Elaborating on these announcements, Manohar Lal said compensation ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh (under compensation policy) for loss of stock and buildings and free-of-cost accidental insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh would be provided to the traders.
In both cases, premium would be paid jointly by the Haryana Government and the Haryana Vyapari Kalyan Board. All traders who would register themselves with the Board would get the cover, he added.
He said that twenty per cent rebate will be given on the collector rate for registry of shops. Legal occupants of shops for more than 20 years would be made eligible for ownership rights and registry of their shops would be done as per the current rates.
Regarding resolving issues pertaining to the Goods and Service Tax (GST), the Chief Minister said the demands would be processed through GST Council, the nodal authority for such issues. Similarly, their demands relating to increase in load carrying capacity of vehicles would also be sent to the Central Government.
“Having been in the trading business for more than eight years, I can very well understand the problems faced by the traders,” the Chief Minister said assuring them that all issues would be resolved under a one-time settlement scheme.
The state is constantly working towards providing clean and safe environment for the traders. Before the present government assumed office, traders were held to ransom by criminals having political connections. But the present government has given them safe environment for their prosperity, he added.
He further said that the entire system has been made online so that traders can not only access e-tendering and enjoy the facility of E-assessment but can also make an appeal online.
Manohar Lal said traders constituted the backbone of the economy of the country and are a major source of revenue generation.
This is the second such sammelan organised for the welfare of traders. Earlier, nobody paid any attention to their demands and problems, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, BJP state president, Subhash Barala, said the present government is constantly working for the welfare of traders, farmers and labourers.
Education Minister, Ram Bilas Sharma, Excise and Taxation Minister Capt. Abhimanyu, Industries and Commerce Minister Vipul Goel, Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, Labour and Employment Minister Nayab Singh Saini among other senior leaders also spoke on the occasion.