Hyderabad, Feb 1 (TNT): Reacting to the Union Budget 2026–27, the trading community of the Telangana State Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Trade (TSFCCT) on Sunday welcomed the government’s intent to accelerate economic growth and strengthen infrastructure, but flagged serious concerns over unresolved ground-level issues impacting traders.
Addressing a press meet here, TSFCCT President Ammanabolu Prakash said that while the Budget reflects a macro growth-oriented vision, it falls short in addressing the day-to-day challenges faced by traders who are key contributors to employment, GST revenue, and supply-chain efficiency.
He pointed out that persistent GST-related problems—such as frequent notices, return mismatches, fear of penalties, and delays in input tax credit refunds—are severely affecting traders’ working capital.
The Federation urged the introduction of quarterly GST returns for small traders, faster automated refunds, and the setting up of trader-friendly GST help desks.
The Federation also highlighted the disproportionate compliance burden on small traders, who face regulatory requirements similar to large corporations. Simplified compliance norms for traders with lower turnovers were termed an urgent necessity.
Beyond GST, TSFCCT raised concerns over multiple local taxes, licenses, renewal fees, and inspections that increase costs and lead to harassment.
It demanded a single annual license system supported by a unified online platform.
Rising power tariffs, transportation costs, and logistics expenses were cited as major margin killers, prompting a strong demand for power tariff subsidies for commercial traders.
The Federation also called for strict enforcement of e-commerce rules to curb unfair competition from large online platforms engaging in deep discounting.
Emphasizing the lack of trader consultation in policymaking, Prakash proposed the formation of National and State-level Traders’ Advisory Councils.
He also sought focused attention on urban market infrastructure, interest subsidies on loans, digital adoption incentives, and insurance premium support.
“Traders are partners in economic growth, not merely taxpayers. Ease of Doing Business must be felt at the shop floor, not just reflected in policy documents,” Prakash added.
TNT TS
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