Traders of electronic items in Old Delhi opened their shop’s after the four days of the strike (bandh) and finally the new Goods and Service Tax (GST) Regime came into existence on 1st July. However, traders looked depress towards new change.
Owners and workers in the shops could be seen going about their business as usual. Deepak owner of a DVD and cassette shop said, “”We have just opened the shop, as you can see many are still opening. Though there are not many customers today, let’’s see how GST affect us. It will take some time to understand it.””
The proprietor of Anshul Enterprises was assured that the new indirect taxation regime won’t affect their sales in a major way. Both the markets in Old Delhi, Lala Lajpat Rai Market as well as Bhagirath Palace import goods from China. It is one of the biggest centres in Old Delhi where cheap Chinese electronic items are available. Gaurav Kapoor owner of Ram Electronics said, “”Let them (people opposing GST) cry and shout. It is just for four days. With time everything will get to the usual,””
Electronic items have been placed under highest slab rate i.e., 28 percent in new GST Regime. The new tax rate is nearly 6 percent higher as the comparison to earlier. Many of the electronic traders in Delhi had declared strike (bandh) for four days since 26th of June for protesting against the new regime.
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Few of the traders are of opinion that taxes under GST can be evaded as well as loopholes would certainly surface. “”Sab undervaluation pe aayega. 1000 ke maal ko 100 ka dikha do. Pehle bhi hota tha ab bhi hoga. Kuchh dino ki baat hai. Yeh India hai, here you cannot teach a crab to walk straight. (The items will be shown to be purchased at a lower value. On paper, just show the value as Rs 100 instead of Rs 1000. It used to happen earlier, will happen now as well. It is just matter of days. This is India, here you cannot teach a crab to walk straight.),” “added Gaurav Kapoor, nonchalantly.
No guarantee or warranty provided on Chinese electronic items, several businesses in Delhi can be done without books. Payment can be done through cash in the market and it is a go- to destination for small electronic dealers in Delhi- NCR.