Punjab Govt to strengthen three-tier mechanism to address traders’ issues: Harpal Singh Cheema
Special statewide district-level camps on February 10 & 11 to resolve traders’ grievances: Harpal Singh Cheema
District Trade Committees directed to proactively engage with traders across Punjab: Harpal Singh Cheema
Complex trade-related issues to be escalated to Punjab State Traders Commission for swift resolution: Harpal Singh Cheema
Finance Minister Chairs high-level meeting of Punjab State Traders Commission
CHANDIGARH, 4th February 2026 (WISHAVWARTA);- Punjab Minister for Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting of the Punjab State Traders Commission (PSTC) as part of the Punjab government’s push to further strengthen ease of doing business across the state. The meeting was held at Punjab Bhawan and focused on deepening engagement with the trading community, improving grievance redressal mechanisms and enhancing technical capacity at the district level.
Addressing the meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the PSTC, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “Our objective is to establish a robust three-tier system that directly connects the trading community with the administration, so that every trader in Punjab has access to timely support and their concerns are heard and resolved.”
Minister Harpal Singh Cheema issued clear directions to the District Trade Committee Chairmen to proactively engage with traders in their respective areas and gather feedback on ground-level issues. He announced the organisation of special district-level camps on February 10 and February 11 to ensure prompt redressal of local grievances. “District Trade Committee Chairmen must reach out actively to traders and understand their issues. Special camps will be organised on February 10 and 11 so that local problems can be addressed immediately at the district level,” he said.
The Minister further instructed that issues requiring intervention beyond the district level should be systematically documented and forwarded to the Punjab State Traders Commission for swift resolution. “Any complex matter or feedback that needs state-level action must be properly listed and shared with the Commission so that effective and time-bound solutions can be ensured,” he said.
The meeting was attended by PSTC Vice Chairman Anil Thakur, Financial Commissioner Taxation Ajit Balaji Joshi and Taxation Commissioner Jatender Jorwal. During the deliberations, special emphasis was laid on the technical empowerment of trade committees. Financial Commissioner Taxation Ajit Balaji Joshi and Taxation Commissioner Jatender Jorwal gave a detailed briefing on key technical aspects of GST filing, aimed at equipping district committee members with the necessary knowledge to assist traders in complying with regulatory requirements.
Reiterating the broader vision behind the initiative, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the three-tier system was designed to create a seamless and responsive environment for commerce in Punjab. “The core mission of this system is to ensure that the voice of every trader is heard and acted upon. Through district-level outreach and strong policy support at the state level, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government is working to build a transparent and business-friendly ecosystem,” he said.
