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Goods and Services Tax

About Goods and Services Tax

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What is Goods and Services Tax

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a uniform indirect tax levied on goods and services across the country. GST, as an umbrella tax, replaced central taxes like central excise, service tax, additional duties of excise & customs, special additional duty of customs, besides cesses and surcharges, on supply of goods and services.
 
Central GST and State GST
 
CGST is levied on intrastate supplies by the central government and SGST is levied on intrastate supplies by respective state governments. 
 
Integrated GST
 
IGST is levied on interstate supplies by the Centre (equal to CGST + SGST combined on supplies made within the state).
 
Any supply of goods or services or both on interstate basis typically attracts IGST on the consideration thereof.
 
Key features of GST
 
* GST envisages all transactions and processes to be done only through the electronic mode, to achieve a non-intrusive administration. This minimises the taxpayer's physical interaction with tax officials.
 
* GST provides for the facility of auto-populated monthly returns and annual return.
 
* It also facilitates taxpayers by prescribing grant of refund within 60 days, and provisional release of 90 per cent refund to exporters within 7 days.
 
* Further facilitation measures include interest payment if refund is not sanctioned in time, and refund to be directly credited to bank accounts.
 
* Comprehensive transitional provisions for ensuring smooth transition of existing taxpayers to GST regime, credit for available stocks, etc.
 
* Other provisions include system of GST compliance rating, etc.
 
* Anti-profiteering provisions for protection of consumer rights: Any benefit by way of reduction in rate of tax or increase in input tax credit arising due to introduction of GST are passed on to customers (through reduction in sale price) by way of commensurate reduction in prices. 
 
* Under the GST regime, exports are zero-rated in entirety, unlike the earlier system where refund of some of the taxes did not take place due to fragmented nature of indirect taxes between the Centre and states.
 
* GST is largely technology-driven and reduces the human interface to a great extent
 
* GST is believed to have improved ease of doing business in India.
 

Latest Updates on Goods and Services Tax

The outcomes achieved on various work streams at the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' meeting reflect the perspectives of both developing and developed nations

Updated On: 22 Aug 2023 | 2:24 PM IST

Such damages are the sum that one party receives when the other party fails to meet provisions of a contract

Updated On: 10 Apr 2023 | 12:37 PM IST

Paper published by IPPR suggests new indirect tax regime led to increasing economic integration among states

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 11:27 PM IST

The applicant, a manufacturer, had argued that 18% GST should be applicable

Updated On: 05 Apr 2023 | 11:47 AM IST

The data shows collections in the pandemic year FY21 declined, but bounced back in subsequent years, indicating resilience in the economy amid external headwinds

Updated On: 02 Apr 2023 | 10:57 PM IST

CEA V Anantha Nageswaran had said that to get to 7 percent GDP growth in FY23, the January-March quarter will have to register a 5.1% real GDP growth

Updated On: 21 Mar 2023 | 6:13 PM IST

The panel will likely propose the classification at the next GST Council meeting, which is expected to be held at the end of May or in June

Updated On: 16 Mar 2023 | 10:37 PM IST

As per the proposal, each state appellate tribunal will have two division benches and thus will be able to deal with more appeals, the official noted

Updated On: 15 Mar 2023 | 6:21 PM IST

The govt contends that Q3 GDP will be revised upwards. Many experts believe rural economic growth is still slow. Data shows both could be right

Updated On: 08 Mar 2023 | 11:10 PM IST

With this, the monthly GST revenues remained over Rs 1.4 trillion for 12 straight months

Updated On: 02 Mar 2023 | 12:29 AM IST

Normally February, being a 28-day month, witnesses a relatively lower collection of revenue, the ministry said

Updated On: 01 Mar 2023 | 3:05 PM IST

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Monday said that petrol and diesel can be brought under the GST ambit if the GST council takes a call

Updated On: 20 Feb 2023 | 3:39 PM IST

GST Council may take up today expert panel's proposal to avoid multiplicity of audits by central, state authorities

Updated On: 17 Feb 2023 | 11:42 PM IST

The federal government is also working on a strategy with state governments and will seek their inputs to increase the base of indirect tax payers

Updated On: 16 Feb 2023 | 9:01 PM IST

One of the first rulings after the rate-change came into effect from July 18 last year

Updated On: 10 Feb 2023 | 4:45 PM IST

Council was to meet on Feb 18, but schedule may be changed

Updated On: 08 Feb 2023 | 11:11 PM IST

Revenues in the current financial year upto January 2023 was 24% higher than the GST revenues during the same period last year

Updated On: 31 Jan 2023 | 9:19 PM IST

However, the buoyancy improved to 1.1 after the GST implementation on July 1, 2017

Updated On: 31 Jan 2023 | 6:39 PM IST

The CBIC issued circular clarifying guidelines on recovery proceedings for the period 2017-18 and 2018-19

Updated On: 27 Dec 2022 | 9:48 PM IST

The industry's worry is the "knee-jerk reaction" of states in regulating the industry, Barde said

Updated On: 26 Dec 2022 | 4:19 PM IST