Shop owners told to get e-PoS by Dec-end

Vijayawada: Commercial Tax Department has taken initiative to “educate” businessmen on alternative business transactions in view of cash scarcity after demonetisation of high value denomination notes.

Tax men are suggesting the shop owners and business establishments to arrange electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) machines by end of December.

Commercial tax department drafted around 120 teams in the district to educate businessmen and 30,000 business establishments in Krishna district.

Commercial tax officials said the team consisting three members- a commercial tax employee, a banker and another government department employee who was deputed for this purpose.

They are going to each shop and tell them to arrange e-PoS machine. They also tell shop owners to fill up an order form seeking supply of swiping machines to run daily business transactions by swiping debit and credit cards of customers.

Team members are indicating shop owners that they should arrange swiping machines by end of December. Taxmen meet not only registered dealers, but also small business men in the city.

A watch shop owner at Kaleswara Rao market said that he was directed by sales tax officials to arrange swiping machine by end of December. “I am facing difficulties as sales in my shop decreased for the past one month.

In general, we have good sales and earn profits in December and January as people buy new goods in this festival season,” he said.

When contacted, a commercial tax officer (CTO) said that the department did not exert pressure on businessmen to buy e-PoS machines and it was not mandatory.

However, he said, it may be compulsory to arrange swiping machines to run their business in view of shortage in cash circulation due to scrapping of high value notes.

He also clarified that they were distributing application forms for swiping machines only after interest being shown by the shop owners.