Traders today raised doubts over what the government's decision to implement value-added tax from April 1, 2005, would mean for them.

They said there were many issues, which had to be sorted out at the ground level before VAT could be implemented. Traders have threatened "a march to Parliament" on December 16 to protest VAT's implementation.

The crisis over VAT

The traders expressed concern as the empowered committee of state finance ministers under the chairmanship of West Bengal [ Images ] Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta maintained that the deadline would be met.

After the first meeting of the consultative panel on VAT, set up by the empowered committee, Dasgupta said: "This was the first meeting with trade associations. The meeting has been very positive. We will meet again in 15 days."