For the smooth functioning of GST Regime from 1st July, PK Sinha Cabinet Secretary said to all the ministries and departments to establish a GST facilitation cell to solve the problems of the industry. While writing a letter to the secretaries of various ministries and departments, Sinha mentioned in a letter that, GST facilitation cell must be handled by a small core team headed by the senior officials or economic advisors of the ministry.
Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, said “The cell shall be in constant touch with major industry and business associations relating to the respective ministry/department and provide all possible support for the smooth roll-out of GST with effect from July 1, 2017,” a Finance Ministry statement said. The chairperson has called over to the ministries to be ready for the GST before July 1st and has asked all the PSU’s under the administrative supervision of their ministry and departments to be compliant accordingly.
The secretaries have been requested to arrange meetings with the CMDs/chairpersons of PSUs for rolling out GST. “The Cabinet Secretary further added that preferably each PSU may constitute a GST cell, which, in turn, should be fully equipped with the complete knowledge of all the relevant GST Act/Rules/Rate Structure etc,” the statement said.
Hasmukh Adhia Revenue Secretary earlier had written a letter to secretaries of various ministries mention that there is an urgent requirement for all the central government’s ministries and PSUs to spread awareness of GST Regime among the society, including basic laws and procedures of GST.
Sinha said that the GST facilitation cell can be treated as the first point of contact for addressing if any problem being faced by businesses or industries related to the respective ministry. Currently, revenue department is going to be introduced helpline numbers for understanding the legal or IT related issues under GST Regime.
Sinha further added that, for the successful and smooth functioning of GST Regime in India, it is necessary that all stakeholders, including government as well as outsiders, are mentally and adequately ready for the implementation of GST. So, it is important that all industries, businesses or sectors are ready for the GST roll-out before 1st July 2017.
Goods and Service Tax (GST) is considered as biggest tax reform since 1947 and going to be rolled out from next month. It is presumed that GST will replace 16 different taxes which includes VAT, service tax and excise duty levied by the Central and State Government. It will make India with “One Nation, One Tax” for supplying goods and services across the country.
