Dedicated funding for improvement of markets across the city will be included in the Delhi government’s budget for the next financial year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.
Addressing a roomful of traders at a conclave of the GST Market Support Committees set up by the government, Mr. Kejriwal asked Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia to allocate a separate fund for infrastructure development of markets. The projects to be funded will include repair and laying of roads, construction of public toilets, making drinking water available and installing lights in markets.
The CM said that the market associations will be included in the process of deciding what projects should be taken up in their areas.
GST regime
With the Centre rolling out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in July, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had set up the GST Market Support Committees in all major markets of the city to help traders relay their concerns about the new regime. Speaking at the event, Mr. Sisodia reiterated the AAP government’s demand for the highest slab under the GST regime — 28% — to be abolished. He said the high tax rate will lead to evasion, leading to a loss to the exchequer.
This was the second such interaction with traders organised by the government. The Trade and Taxes Commissioner, H. Rajesh Prasad, said the concerns raised by traders in the first meeting held on November 7 were taken up in the GST Council meeting later that week. He said the rate of 175 items had been reduced from 28% to 18%.
