Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 14 September 2025 shared the stage with representatives of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a special event where issues related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the challenges of small traders were discussed.
In his address, Chamber president Vikrama Raja recalled the turbulence businesses faced during the rollout of GST in 2017. He said traders were initially shocked by the multiple tax brackets but had engaged in continuous dialogue with the Centre. Meetings with ministers, chief ministers, and even the prime minister, he said, eventually led to reforms in the GST framework.
Raja credited Sitharaman with being receptive to traders’ concerns. He recalled how she took note of the community’s complaints, including harassment by officials, and conveyed instructions that traders should not be intimidated. The minister, he added, had worked to simplify the four-slab GST structure into two tiers and had ensured that several essential commodities moved from the 18% bracket to just 5%. This, he said, was a “great blessing” for ordinary consumers.
The Chamber emphasized that lower tax rates must be passed on to the public, urging companies to reflect the reductions in their prices. Raja pointed out that many businesses had already agreed to price cuts of up to 10%, a move he described as proof that reforms were having an impact on the market.
Highlighting persistent issues, Raja said many GST department officials continued to exploit loopholes to impose penalties on minor errors such as spelling mistakes in invoices. He called for a monitoring committee that would allow regular dialogue between traders and the Finance Ministry, so that erring officials would be held accountable. He also suggested the establishment of a Business Welfare Board at the Centre to protect small traders from the growing influence of corporate giants and online retailers.
Turning to political leadership, Raja praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s journey from a “tea trader’s son” to head of government, saying the prime minister’s background inspired ordinary traders with hope. He said Modi’s policies had enabled Indian manufacturers to withstand international challenges, including steep tariffs imposed by the United States. “India today stands tall despite global envy,” Raja said, adding, “Modiji is the one who can fight back for the country.”
The Chamber chief also commended Sitharaman personally, noting that she had remained a “simple minister without pretension” and had the unique distinction of addressing Delhi in Tamil. He credited her with ensuring that the voices of Tamil Nadu’s business community were heard at the highest levels of decision-making.
Concluding his speech, Raja expressed hope that the GST system would soon be simplified further into a single-tier structure, describing the reforms already announced as a “Diwali gift” for traders. On behalf of lakhs of small businesses, he extended gratitude to the Union Finance Minister and reiterated demands for relief from bureaucratic pressure, simplified laws, and protection for grassroots traders.
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