Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda assured traders in the state that Form 38 would be simplified and the state government would also consider their other problems sympathetically.

Mr Hooda was speaking at a function organised by the Haryana Pradesh Vyopar Mandal here to felicitate him on becoming the Chief Minister of the state for the second consecutive time.

The state government, he said, was seriously contemplating the simplification of Form 38 which would definitely provide a major relief to the traders.

To a question on the facilities extended to the traders in the state, Mr Hooda replied that the state government had taken several decisions to benefit the traders which included reduction of the sales tax on many items and exemption in sales tax on tractors and agricultural implements.

Mr Hooda said the Congress had made a history by forming the government again in Haryana with the support of people, especially the traders, farmers and labourers ‘under the able guidance of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visionary approach of AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.’ He pointed out that a ruling party in the state had come to power on a second consecutive term after a gap of 38 years.

The Chief Minister said it was due to the intensive developmental works carried out in the state in the previous term that people of each section of society voted the party to power again.

‘Now, it is the responsibility of the state government to fulfil their hopes and aspirations. The coordinated efforts of the farmers, traders and labourers could lead to the development of the state,’ he added.

Mr Hooda hoped that the traders would support the government in future also to ensure the progress and prosperity of the state.

UNI