In a relief for traders, UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit has assured them of rolling out a One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for pending Value Added Tax (VAT) soon.
The same will be forwarded to the Union ministry of home affairs for final approval and notification. Around 8,000 VAT cases are pending with the UT administration.
A delegation comprising Sunil J Singhi, chairman of the National Traders Welfare Board, New Delhi, and Charanjiv Singh, president of Chandigarh Beopar Mandal, discussed the issues being faced by traders with Purohit.
The main issues discussed included the implementation of an OTS scheme for VAT assessment cases on the Punjab pattern, making commercial/industrial property freehold on reasonable charges, permission of general trade in the upper floors of commercial buildings without conversion charges, rationalisation of conversion/extra coverage charges from SCF to SCO, rollback of penalty, expansion of parking facility in markets, and the formation of Chandigarh Traders Welfare Board.
Purohit said the scheme for converting all leasehold commercial/industrial properties to freehold had already been sent to Union ministry of home affairs for final approval.