11th National Traders' Welfare Board Meeting Deliberations
The 11th meeting of the National Traders' Welfare Board (NTWB) 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 Reforms and Compliance Issues
The members discussed critical GST-related matters including rationalisation of GST structure, refund delays, lengthy audit processes, potential amnesty schemes, input tax credit (ITC) anomalies, and resolution mechanisms for pending appeals. These discussions aimed to address operational challenges faced by traders in GST compliance.
MSME and Financial Access Measures
Discussions focused on including traders in MSME facilitation committees, proposing a centralized loan portal with 30-day approval timelines, implementing reforms in the CIBIL score mechanism to improve credit access, and establishing dedicated traders' grievance helplines for financial disputes.
Trader Welfare and Protection
The board addressed issues including ensuring timely payments to government contractors, implementing safeguards against technical penalties, providing relaxation in loan repayment during lean business periods, and enhancing coordination between central and state governments for policy implementation.
Digital Empowerment Initiatives
Deliberations covered expansion of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and DigiDukaan platforms to district levels, establishing Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Desks under NITI Aayog, creating POSH cells for grievance redressal, and strengthening cyber fraud redressal mechanisms. DigiDukaan, a B2B procurement and Kirana digitization initiative by ONDC, currently has over 19,000 retailers operational across Hyderabad and Jaipur, enabling kirana stores to digitize procurement through a single ordering interface.
Export Promotion and Institutional Support
Special emphasis was placed on enhancing export participation by traders and MSMEs, increasing awareness about export opportunities, strengthening institutional support mechanisms, and promoting India's emergence as a globally competitive trading nation. The board discussed India-UK Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations with emphasis on export promotion benefits.
Governance and Policy Initiatives
Chairman Sunil J. Singhi highlighted major initiatives including the Jan Vishwas Act which rationalizes 40,000 compliances, ease of doing business measures, and establishment of State Traders' Welfare Boards in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Written confirmations were received from Goa and Telangana, with progress on District Facilitation Centres. The successful conduct of 100 consecutive virtual conferences has strengthened Centre-State engagement.
Future Reforms and Legislation
Members were apprised of forthcoming reforms including the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2026, proposed to be effective from January 1, 2027, aimed at enhancing ease of living. The board also discussed creating thematic committees and focused working groups to examine sector-specific issues and provide structured recommendations for policy intervention.
The meeting concluded with reaffirmed commitment to creating an enabling environment 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.