West Bengal government will provide free software to small traders for filing goods and services tax (GST) returns, state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said here on Thursday.

"We are in touch with the NIC (National Informatics Centre) and work is on to develop the software," Mitra said while addressing a seminar on GST.

West Bengal would be one of the few states to provide free GST software under the new tax regime in the country.

Mitra requested the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations (CWBTA), organiser of the seminar, to submit a detailed project report (DPR) for setting up a trading logistical hub in and around Kolkata.

He also said that CWBTA, being one of the apex trade bodies, should organise an international Trade Summit in Kolkata to highlight the development taking place in the area of trade and e-commerce.