Government constitutes Puducherry Traders Welfare Board

Puducherry government has constituted a Traders Welfare Board in keeping with the promise made on the floor of the House by the Chief Minister during the budget session in March last year.
A notification of the Department of Commercial Taxes said today that the Lt Governor has formed the Board under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to the government. The Board comprises both official and non official members.
While Chief Secretary is the head of the Board the other official members are: Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Department, Director of Local Administration Department, Joint Secretary to Finance, Commissioners of Puducherry and Oulgaret Municipalities and Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Department (who is the member secretary cum Chief Executive officer of the Board), the notification said.

The non official members on the Board are three members from Puducherry region, two from Karaikal and one each from Mahe and Yanam who are all representatives of traders associations nominated by the government.
The notification said that the objectives of the Board are among other things providing group insurance to the members, group medical insurance to them and other welfare measures entrusted to it by the government from time to time.
Contributions or grants provided by the government would constitute the corpus fund of the Board in addition to voluntary contributions from the Chamber of Commerce and other associations of traders and industries.