Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 31 (ANI): As the Union Budget is set to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, the local locksmiths and businessmen from Aligarh have demanded a faceless system and tax cut in GST from the government, so that the local workers of the region could benefit.

Chairman of the Aligarh Talanagri Audyogik Association, Chandrashekhar Sharma, on Saturday called for the introduction of a faceless system in GST in the upcoming Union Budget, saying officials should not personally visit businessmen and harass them.

He said the government should fulfil its promise of implementing a faceless GST system to curb corruption.

'I would like to tell the government that when GST was introduced, it was promised that there would be a faceless system. Officials should not personally visit or harass people. A faceless system means there should be online investigation, online communication, online notices, online responses and online decisions. Everything should be completed digitally. In the upcoming Budget, we want the government to establish a faceless system in GST so that corruption can be avoided,' Chandrashekhar Sharma told ANI.

A businesswoman, Neelam Singh, urged the government to prioritise small industries and artisans, such as locksmiths, when presenting the Budget and to reduce GST for them.

'We also want the Modi government, while presenting the Budget in February, to keep small industries and artisans like locksmiths in mind and reduce GST for them. This will benefit everyone directly or indirectly connected to this sector and will help the industrial sector grow. Through this growth, Prime Minister Modi's dream of making India a world leader will also be fulfilled,' Neelam Singh told ANI.

Umang Monga from Md Harrison Locks said taxation was currently too high for small industries and that GST was eating into their profits.

'At present, taxation is very high, and for small industries, tax eats away all profits. Locksmiths are an essential service. Every household needs locks for security. Imposing 18 per cent GST on such a necessary product is not appropriate. The government should consider reducing it to 3 to 5 per cent, as this is not a luxury item but a basic necessity. I hope that GST reforms, export policy and production policy will be implemented faster and reflected in the Budget,' Monga told ANI.

Another lock businessman, Sanjay Jain, said their top priority was to reduce GST on essential products made by cottage and small-scale industries.

'Our biggest demand is that GST on essential products, especially those made by cottage and small-scale industries like locksmiths, should be reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. Locks are used for daily purposes and are made by workers who depend on this work for their household expenses. Therefore, I request the government to reduce GST on locksmith products from 18 per cent to 5 per cent,' Sanjay Jain told ANI.

This year, the Budget presentation falls on a weekend. FM Sitharaman is set to present a record ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, marking a significant milestone in India's parliamentary and economic history. (ANI)