Editor,
No doubt the NDA government has brought about major changes in the market and the fiscal policy. One of those includes GST with a strong backup of digital technology. No one would disagree that this will contribute immensely to nation building and boosting its economy. Many world economists are lauding India’s move in this direction. Well, for all such dramatic changes our techno-savvy PM Modi’s relentless dedication and innovation is praiseworthy.
But there are murmurs of dissatisfaction among the middle-class traders these days. The displeasure expressed by the business community is about the government’s rigid diktat for filing GST. The government is apparently putting a hard squeeze on the middle and upper middle class traders and entrepreneurs to file GST before the 20th of each month. In case of a delay, a penalty of Rs 50 per day is levied. This is a huge disappointment. How on earth does the government expect each trader to have computer knowledge? Usually they all rush to the nearby tax professionals to do the job. Just imagine how a few tax experts in the town match up to the countless GST payers. Can ten thousand sick patients be treated by one single doctor in a short span of time? This is totally impractical.
Each tax expert has to file returns for a minimum of 300 to 800 clients per month and that number is increasing by the day. The traders are required to keep detailed accounts of all sales and purchases throughout the month and hence incur incidental expenditures. Many erroneous entries are usually made while filing, but once the file is submitted it cannot be revised. Usually, the last two days of the GST filing is a nightmare because the site is clogged due to heavy traffic. Does the government want the small traders to be harassed like this? Merely imposing strict regulations will never yield positive results.
There is another shocker from the Modi Government. It has made it mandatory for tax payers to file their income tax returns by July 31. In case of delay and fine of Rs. 5000 per file is being imposed. This is indeed a cruel imposition that might just bruise the confidence of obedient tax payers. Given the literacy rate and very poor professionalism in India, such hard decrees by the government only increase the angst of the citizens.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong-2
Hats up to District Administration & JMB
Editor,
Kudos to the Jowai Municipal Board and the District Administration for being responsive to the pleas of some concerned citizens of Jowai Town. Had not the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JMB and the District Administration not exercised their authority then the Iawmusiang Footpath of Jowai Town would have been heavily congested with hawkers. Sein Raij Jowai had put up slogans during the Behdeinkhlam Festival (July 10-13, 2018) that Jowai town is an embarrassment to the Sein Raij for failing to clean up the waste. It was also pointed out that tourists and visitors would carry a bad impression about the lack of cleanliness of the town. There are plenty of stalls in Iawthymme so why don’t the hawkers shift to this place?
Meanwhile I would like to suggest to the people of Jowai to pay at least rupees Rs 200 per month to the JMB to boost the morale of its workers. When we can easily pay to the MCN Rs 320 per month it would be more meaningful to pay the JMB to keep the town clean. In Mynthong, garbage is dumped right in front of private residences. This is appalling. I request the Sein Raij not to throw garbage randomly as they are doing at present.
I would also like to mention that the bushy park adjacent to the DC’s residence which is left unattended is an ugly sight. In fact the DC should set a good precedence by ensuring that the surroundings around his/her residence is clean and well maintained. Kids cannot spend their time there as the park disturbs the picturesque scene of the Commissioner’s Bungalow. Hopefully the concerned authorities will look into the matter at the earliest. Iawmusiang in Jowai town is today looking neat but a time will come when the present CEO will be transferred or promoted to another place then I’m afraid that the hawkers will resume their vending on the footpaths. I request who ever is posted as CEO to exercise the same kind of authority as their predecessors.
Hats off to the JMB and its CEO for strictly implementing the rules against irresponsible hawking, However, I have noticed that that there are still defaulters. One day when a police officer asked a hawker selling roasted maize beside Nan Kasari to shift from there, he bluntly refused to do so. Such defaulters must be heavily fined. Incidentally there are many people in Jowai who see all manner of social evils happening before their very eyes but they turn a blind eye to everything. Even my family members do not approve of my writing letters to newspapers. But if citizens don’t take responsibility for their town then who will? Even the Government requires citizens to be actively engaged.
Yours etc.,
Omarga Laloo.
Mynthong,
Jowai.
Frequent power cuts in Jowai town
Editor,
There is unprecedented load shedding by the MeECL at all hours of the day and night. What do the concerned have to day about this and why is Jowai Town being penalised? Just when we are about to cook our food the electricity vanishes leaving the food half cooked. It seems that the MeECL uses sub-standard materials which is why there is constant power failure. We the consumers pay a substantial amount as electricity bills every month and we wonder on what basis the bills are calculated when we have such frequent power cuts. Is the MeECL actually reading the meter or are they simply adjusting the amount? I request the MEECL to provide regular energy for the benefit of the people especially in this age of technology where everything works on electricity.
Yours etc.,
- Lamare, B Dhar & others,
Jowai