11th National Traders' Welfare Board Meeting Deliberations
The 11th Meeting of the National Traders' Welfare Board (NTWB) was convened at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, in hybrid mode on September 25, 2026. The board comprehensively reviewed measures concerning trader welfare, ease of doing business, digital empowerment, access to finance, Centre-State coordination, and export promotion for traders, retailers, manufacturers, exporters, and service providers.
GST and Regulatory Reforms
Members discussed GST-related matters including rationalisation efforts, refund delays, lengthy audits, potential amnesty schemes, input tax credit (ITC) anomalies, and resolution mechanisms for pending appeals. The meeting highlighted Next Generation GST 2.0 reforms as a forthcoming development. The Jan Vishwas Act was noted as having rationalised 40,000 compliances to improve the business environment.
MSME and Financial Access
Discussions focused on including traders in MSME facilitation committees and creating a centralised loan portal with strict 30-day approval timelines. Reforms in the CIBIL score mechanism were proposed to improve credit access, along with establishing dedicated traders' grievance helplines. The board also discussed relaxation in loan repayment terms during lean business periods and safeguards against technical penalties.
Digital Empowerment Initiatives
The board deliberated on expanding Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and DigiDukaan platforms to the district level. DigiDukaan, a B2B procurement and kirana digitisation initiative by ONDC, currently enables over 19,000 retailers to digitise procurement through a single ordering interface across Hyderabad and Jaipur. Other digital measures included Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Desks under NITI Aayog, POSH cells for grievance redressal, and strengthening cyber fraud redressal mechanisms.
Export Promotion and Institutional Support
Special emphasis was placed on enhancing export participation by traders and MSMEs through increased awareness of export opportunities and strengthened institutional support mechanisms. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations were discussed with focus on export promotion. The board advocated for thematic committees and focused working groups to examine sector-specific issues and provide structured policy recommendations.
State-Level Implementation and Coordination
Chairman Sunil J. Singhi reported the establishment of State Traders' Welfare Boards in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with written confirmations received from Goa and Telangana. Progress on District Facilitation Centres was noted, along with the successful conduct of 100 consecutive virtual conferences that have strengthened Centre-State engagement. The meeting also noted various outreach activities including celebration of Bhamashah Jayanti as Rashtriya Vyaapari Diwas on June 29, Vyapari Samvaad events in Dehradun and Indore, and Tiranga Yatra activities in Chandigarh and Indore.
Forthcoming Reforms and Consumer Protection
Members were apprised of the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2026, proposed to be effective from January 1, 2027, aimed at enhancing ease of living. Director of DPIIT, Yuvraj Ravindra Patil, emphasized wider dissemination of DPIIT's interactive video conference sessions to promote the board's initiatives.
The meeting concluded with reaffirmed commitment to creating an enabling environment for traders through policy advocacy, digital empowerment, ease of doing business reforms, social security initiatives, and stronger Centre-State coordination, working toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.