Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chaired a key meeting on Wednesday with small traders and trade bodies, including the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), to address growing concerns over GST notices issued by the Commercial Taxes Department.
๐ Key Decisions and Assurances:
- The government will not collect GST arrears for the past three years, provided traders register under GST and comply going forward.
- Principal goods like milk, bread, vegetables, meat, flowers, coconuts, and agricultural street vendors will remain GST-exempt.
- Workshops will be conducted to spread awareness about GST compliance.
- The notices were reportedly based on UPI transaction tracking for businesses with turnover over โน40 lakh.
๐ GST Notices:
- Over 9,000 traders received GST notices.
- Many traders claimed that notices mistakenly included loan amounts and personal transactions.
๐งโ๐คโ๐ง Protest and Reaction:
- Some shopkeepers wore black bands or closed shops in protest on Wednesday.
- Planned protests for Thursday (by the Karnataka State Association of Bakeries, Condiments and Small Enterprises) and Friday (by Karnataka Karmika Parishat) were called off after the CMโs assurances.
๐๏ธ Officials Present:
- Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda
- Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh
- Officials from the Finance and Commercial Taxes Departments
CM Siddaramaiah reaffirmed that GST policy is decided by the Union Finance Minister-led GST Council, and the state is committed to helping small traders comply without undue hardship.
