Pune: Traders across Maharashtra have announced a complete market shutdown on August 27 in protest against the imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on food grains and other demands.
The Maharashtra State Traders Action Committee issued this warning on Sunday (August 4), emphasizing the need for the cancellation of the regulation tax (cess) levied by market committees and the simplification of the GST law.
The announcement came after a significant meeting of the state traders' council held at the Trade Building in Market Yard, Pune.
Representatives from various organizations, including the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture, Federation of Associations of Maharashtra, and The Poona Merchants Chamber, participated.
The council also saw the participation of 150 office bearers from trader organizations across major districts like Mumbai, Nashik, Jalgaon, Solapur, Kolhapur, and more.
Key figures such as Lalit Gandhi, President of Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, and Jitendra Shah, President of Federation of Associations of Maharashtra, were present.
They, along with other representatives, passed resolutions demanding the abolition of market yard taxes, simplification of the GST law, and opposing amendments to Rule 3 of the Legal Metrology Act.
Despite persistent efforts to eliminate these market yard taxes, traders claim the government has overlooked their demands.
In a bid to capture the government's attention, traders will observe a symbolic one-day shutdown, closing wholesale and retail markets statewide. Protests will be held in Mumbai, where traders will submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Agriculture Minister.
