Traders of Delhi thank Prime Minister and BJP’s national President
New Delhi, April 8, 2018: The traders of Delhi gathered at the residence of Union Minister and former BJP Delhi President Vijay Goel to express their happiness and gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah for announcing National Traders’ Welfare Board and insurance for small traders in the party’s Sankalp Patra released today.
A few months ago prominent traders had met Goel with a request for a welfare board. Goel later personally met the Prime Minister in this regard and wrote a letter in October suggesting that a trade commission may be constituted since traders were facing many issues. Traders had been feeling neglected despite supporting the BJP. Goel suggested that the government must take immediate steps because the trading community had been voting to the party and had always stood rock solid with the BJP. The Prime Minister had offered assurance, and Goel then said that a note had been prepared in this regard.
Goel said that traders in a way work as agents of the government since they pass on the tax they collect to the government, and hence, the pension should be awarded to them after a certain age since they work as informal government functionaries.
The commission shall work as a bridge between the government and traders, and after a certain age, traders need a pension scheme which can serve as special security for them and their families. It is hence good news that the government today accepted the traders’ demand for a pension.
Goel said that the commission will formulate policies concerning traders and it shall have its own office under the Ministry which would also address the tax grievances of traders. There are 6 crore trading institutions in the country which provide employment to over 30 crore people. A trader is the best person who can help the government in formulating new policies.
Goel said new traders would also get to receive training with the help of this commission and the unregistered traders would be able to get themselves registered.