National Traders’ Welfare Board (NTWB)

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Polity & Governance

Why in News?

Recently, National Traders’ Welfare Board Holds 10^th Meeting in Hybrid Mode, Strengthening Digital Governance and Stakeholder Participation.

It is an advisory body constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Aim - To advise the government on policies to improve the welfare of small traders, retailers, and their employees, reduce their compliance burdens, and modernize internal trade
Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
Constituted on – 19^th June, 2019.
Objectives
- Identify policy measures for the welfare of traders and their employees.
- Suggest simplifications of the Acts and Rules applicable to traders.
- Recommend on reduction of the compliance burden of traders.
- Improve access to funds for traders.
- Recommend social security benefits for traders & their employees like insurance, pension etc.
- Address challenges and issues of traders and their employees.
- Formulating a National Retail Trade Policy aims at realizing the full potential of all formats of the retail trade.
Members - TWB consists of 1 Chairperson and 20 non-official members, with Joint Secretary, DPIIT, being the convener of NTWB.
The Joint Secretary dealing with Internal Trade in DPIIT acts as the board’s official convener.

Recent Initiatives & Key Focus Areas

DigiDukaan Platform	A specialized B2B digital commerce initiative designed to help small retailers and kirana stores effortlessly transition into the digital economy. Following a successful pilot in cities like Jaipur, plans are underway for a nationwide rollout.
Digital Integration	Encouraging small scale merchants to use the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to expand their market reach.
Decriminalisation Reforms	Reviewing and supporting major ease-of-doing-business overhauls, such as the Jan Vishwas Amendment Act, which decriminalised hundreds of minor business compliance violations.
Vocal for Local	Driving campaigns to bolster indigenous, locally manufactured goods across regional ecosystems.
State Boards	Encouraging individual Indian States and Union Territories to set up their own localized State Traders' Welfare Boards for direct grassroots grievance redressal. The board reviewed the newly launched Rajasthan Trade Promotion Policy, analyzing its provisions for trade credit support, customized insurance assistance, and structural fiscal incentives for small traders.

Reference

PIB | National Traders’ Welfare Board