The Gujarat chapter of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has demanded that the Goods and Service Tax (GST), to be made enforceable from April 1, 2010, should be deferred.

Traders affiliated to the CAIT said that a two-day national conference on GST was organized in Delhi on November 19 where trade federations and associations from about 26 states participated.

At the national conference, the traders demanded that a Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIT) be set up on the pattern of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and that a dedicated service for taxation should be formed similar to IAS and IPS.

Pramod Bhagat, vice-president of CAIT's Gujarat chapter, said "We are requesting the government not to implement the proposed GST in haste.

If at all the government is implementing it, the first two years of GST should be termed as transitional period and no penal action should be initiated against any trader except for willful tax offenders."

According to Bhagat, textiles, foodgrains, pulses, tea, milk salt, bread, kerosene stove and lamps and other such items of daily needs should be exempted from GST.