Recently FOPSIA (Federation of Punjab Small Industries Associations) and All Industries Trade Forum President, Badish Jindal, has raised serious concerns about the struggles business owners are facing, particularly due to the ongoing recession. He also highlighted a growing fear that their sales and purchase data might no longer be secure. Jindal alleged that some employees in the GST Department have started “selling” sensitive data. He noted that, in the past, businessmen in Ludhiana received offers from Delhi agencies to purchase their competitors’ sales and purchase data for Rs. 20,000. Shockingly, Jindal said that many local agents in Ludhiana are now providing this data for as little as Rs. 1,000.

“The recession is already a significant challenge, but this new scam has made things even worse for business owners. Today, several agents are moving around the market, offering full sales and purchase data of competitors for just Rs. 1,000 or more per month. Much of this data is available on the GST Department’s website, and it’s quite easy to steal. Employees with access to the website can leak this information without much effort,” Jindal alleged.

Lalit Shorey, Vice President of the Oil Mill Manufacturers Association, also shared his experience, saying he too had fallen victim to this scam. “After reviewing our sales and purchase records, competitors are quoting lower prices, making it harder for us to compete. The auto parts industry is also suffering, with businesses losing customers to companies in Delhi,” he added. Shorey called for the government to step in and offer support to business owners before the situation gets worse.

Recently, industrialists from Ludhiana’s Industrial Area C held a meeting to protest against the data leak. They mentioned that while they trusted the government with their data, the flawed system within the GST Department led to login details being shared with accountants and clerks, resulting in leaks, Jindal explained.

-Sanyogita