The Hindu : Big relief for small traders

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Big relief for small traders

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD July 18. The State Government has abolished with immediate effect the annual registration renewal fee of Rs. 200 in the case of traders with a turnover of less than Rs. 3 lakhs.

The Commercial Taxes Minister, K. Vijayarama Rao, told newsmen here on Friday that 1.95 lakh dealers stand to gain on this account while the loss of revenue to the Government would be Rs. 4 crores. However, they would be entitled to pay the one-time registration fee of Rs. 500 at the commencement of the business with a view to enabling the Government to keep a watch on the registration process. This was also to ensure only bona fide dealers obtained the registration.

Mr. Rao said the 1.95 lakh small dealers would anyhow have been exempted from payment of renewal fee when the Value Added Tax (VAT) scheme comes into force next year. The latest decision was part of the VAT- enabled tax reforms taken up by the Government.

The Minister said the Government would concentrate on strengthening the tax administration and extend relief to small taxpayers in implementing the reforms. The registration of dealers would be simplified by the system of instant registration.

To check tax evasion, the border check-posts at Tada, Itchapuram, Bhoraj, Salura and Naraharipet were being strengthened. There is technology intervention already at the Tada check-post where seven sophisticated cameras have been installed to monitor its functioning on-line from Nellore. The system would be adopted soon at Itchapuram.

The ultimate goal was to interlink all five check-posts with the Hyderabad control room of the department. The move was to ensure that there were no illicit operations across the borders, Mr. Rao said.

The Minister said against a target of Rs. 2,092 crore for the first quarter of the current fiscal, the achievement was Rs. 1,915 crores. It was Rs. 1,788 crores for the corresponding period last year.

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