An RAI delegation had met with the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes of Karnataka regarding the cross matching of input tax credits i.e. e-UPass to address the various reasons for the occurrence of mismatch. Please click here to view the representation.
The Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, emphasised that even though relief, in terms of opportunity of being heard on mis-match/audit/assessments and producing invoice as proof are provided in current scenario, the same will not be available in proposed GST and any monthly mis-match will be disallowed by the system, automatically. He further highlighted that retailers and vendors need to focus on addressing the mismatch in terms of their ERP changes/process improvents/people training and guiding vendors. He also mentioned that in the GST regime, the mismatch may get more complex with product rate level data being compared. Key Relief points:
The RAI delegation also requested the Joint Commissioner to address all RAI members to which he has agreed. RAI shall soon organize the seminar/workshop, dates of which will be intimited to members.
RAI delegation was invited by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis to have a detailed discussion on Maharashtra’s Retail Trade Policy. The meeting was presided over by Hon’ble Principal Secretary of Industries, Shri Apurva Chandra who presented the policy in front of the panel which included Principal Secretaries of various departments along with Shri Subhash Desai, Hon’ble Minister of Industries.
Organisations such as Future Group, Aditya Birla, Reliance Retail, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, K. Raheja Corp, IKEA among others attended the said meeting. The Hon. Chief Minister assured the implementation of the policy in its true spirit once it is framed. All the dignitaries welcomed the initiative taken by the Maharashtra government in framing a policy for Retail Trade for the first time in the state.
Current ESI norms mandate the monthly payment of the ESI under separate challans for each state and city. Since this was creating challenges for retailers, RAI approached the Honorable Labour Secretary, Chairman Standing Committee - ESI Corporation, seeking his intervention in this matter through a representation.
RAI has requested that RAI members be allowed to pay ESI contributions under one challan. This will save considerable time of all the stakeholders (employers/ESI/Bank) and will also dispense with the need to maintain large number of challans, every month.
Please find the representation attached here.
E-commerce is only supposed to translate the physical world into the Internet world and therefore deserves to be similarly regulated as commerce in the physical world. It is our concern that, though the outcome of e-commerce and retail in physical world is the same, the treatment meted out by the Government of India to the two players in the same market is inequitable.
Due to the advent of technology and increased reach to the general public through mobile and other hand-held devices, e-commerce has also reached a level of general and daily use. Multi brand retail is being achieved through e-commerce but on a defence of a marketplace model. E-commerce thus achieves the same result as that of multi brand retail in physical world.
Based on members’ recommendations, RAI had repeatedly sought for the government to create a simple FDI policy for Retail without segregating retail by BRANDS and CHANNELS. We have submitted that the word “retailerâ€cannot be allowed to have a different meaning for players in the Internet world and players in the physical world.
The continued discrimination by Government between Retailers in physical world and retailers in cyberspace compel us to represent our stand strongly with the Government.
With the above background, and under the direction of the board, RAI filed a writ petition before Hon'ble Delhi High Court on 18th May 2015 to seek a “level playing field†amongst the retailers in the physical world and retailers in the cyberspace (internet world), in relation to the application of Indian laws including the Foreign Direct Investment Regulations.
Please click here to download the petition.
The aforesaid matter was listed before Hon'ble Justice Mr Rajiv Shakhder of the Hon'ble Delhi High Court on 20th May 2015. The Hon’ble Court after considering the arguments, held that the said petition shall be treated as representation to the respondent (i.e. Government) by the petitioner(i.e. RAI) and directed the government to discuss the matter in details with RAI within 4 months. The Court has provided the liberty to RAI to approach the Court in case of a negative response.
Click here to download the scanned copy of the Writ Petition RAI has filed with regards to FDI in retail and e-commerce.
You will be pleased to know that the registration and renewal of thelicences can now be done through the app ‘MCGM24X7’, which can bedownloaded from the ‘Play Store’ on an Android Smartphone and ‘App Store’ on an Apple Device.
For android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.cdac.gov.mgov.mcgm
For Apple: https://appsto.re/in/68AL6.i
We are pleased to inform you that the government has accepted our representation and a notification has been issued in this regard, permitting retailers to maintain the registers in Electronics Systems with immediate effect. Please find the notification attached here.
As a result of representations from the Retailers Association of India, the Government of Maharashtra makes a significant allowance for retailers that is in the interest of both, the business as well as consumers
The Government of Maharashtra has issued a notification exempting retail establishments in the state from weekly closure as mandated by the Shops and Establishments Act.This means that brick-and-mortar retail establishments in the state can now keep their stores open 365 days a year, provided they comply with the statutory requirements laid down by the government, which include giving employees a weekly off and restricting work hours to 9 hours a day and no more than 48 hours a week.
Complimenting the state government on the pro-industry move, RAI CEO Kumar Rajagopalan said, “The exemption from weekly closure will go a long way in helping brick-and-mortar retailers in Maharashtra achieve their true potential. It is also good for the consumers as they now have the convenience of shopping all days of the year.â€
Welcoming the decision, BS Nagesh, Chairman, RAI; Founder TRRAIN said, “We really thank the Chief Minister and the team for recognizing the importance of retail trade and its potential contribution towards consumption, growth and development. The decision to allow stores to stay open 365 days will not only increase consumption but will also increase customer satisfaction of the citizens as well as tourists. More importantly, it will aid in generating employment for young men and women in retail.â€
Industry captains see this an encouraging sign for retail businesses in the state. “We are delighted at the positive step taken by the Government of Maharashtra to allow retailers to keep our stores open for 365 days. We at RAI are working very closely with the Government of Maharashtra on various issues connected with the retail industry and have always received a very positive response at every occasion,†Jamshed S Daboo, MD Trent Hypermarket Ltd said.
Commending the decision, Rakesh Biyani, Joint MD, Future Retail Ltd, said, “We thank the Government of Maharashtra for considering the demands of the retail business in today’s connected world. Keeping the stores open all days of the week will add to the convenience factor of consumers, and drive consumption, which is good for the economy. The decision will also help the economy by creating more employment in the sector, which is still a human capital-intensive industry.â€
The notification is considered a landmark one as it amends criteria for traders laid down 80 years back. The socio-economic environment of the country has changed significantly since then and this notification allows retailers to match pace with the changing business dynamics.
Please find the notification attached here.
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