Day after GST rollout: Wholesale and retail traders struggle as confusion reigns in Jalandhar

GST rollout: Both retail and wholesale markets bore a near deserted look with buyers and sellers trying to comprehend the new tax system and its ramification on the prices and the accompanying procedure

At several big retail chain stores, no items were sold in the absence of changes in the billing system. (Representational)

Anil Tinku in the local wholesale market could not sell anything on the first day of the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Saturday as he is yet to procure the new bill book according to the new tax system and the pro forma which would be provided by the sale and taxation department. Tinku is a wholesale merchant at Mandi Fenton Ganj, which is one of the largest wholesale market for kirana, dry fruits and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG). Like him, Raman Kumar of the same market was too waiting to upload the new software in his computerised billing system.
Not only they, almost all traders in the wholesale market were facing similar situation. Both retail and wholesale markets bore a near deserted look with buyers and sellers trying to comprehend the new tax system and its ramification on the prices and the accompanying procedure. At several big retail chain stores, no items were sold in the absence of changes in the billing system. “We have been turning away our customers since morning because our system will start working only after nod from our headquarters in Gurugram. Only after that will we able to generate computerised bills since we cannot sell items without bills,” said an employee at the Easy Day store located on NH-1 near Indian Oil Corporation office.
“We have had several sessions on GST earlier, but when it happened actually today, we are still confused. It will take a few days for us to understand the new tax system. We also have to get published the new bill books according to the GST system, the pro forma of which is yet to be made available to us by the sales tax department,” said Anil Tinku.
FMCG-cum-cosmetic store owner in Local Rainak Bazaar market of Jalandhar, Rakesh Kumar, said, “There are several cosmetics items and other goods on which tax has been imposed. But, at the moment, we do not have proper bill books which we have to produce from the sales tax department. Yesterday, there was massive sale as people purchased surplus items fearing shortage in the near future.
Raj Kumar, the president of Kirana Merchant Association at Mandi Fenton Ganj, said there was still huge confusion on the GST among traders and customers were few. “No one knows how much time will it take for the confusion to clear.”