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GST Council on Saturday reduced the Goods and Service Tax on liquid jaggery, pencil sharpeners, and certain tracking devices, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. Briefing media after the 49th meeting of the GST Council, the minister also informed that reports of the GoM (Group of Ministers) on checking tax evasion by pan masala and gutkha industry, and on Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals (GSTATs), have been taken on board. She further said all the GST compensation dues will be cleared, including Rs 16,982 crore for the month of June. The finance minister further said the GST Council has decided to rationalise late fees on filing of annual GST returns after the due date. Finance ministers of states and UTs (with legislature) and senior officials of Union Government and states participated in the meeting.
The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state counterparts, will meet on February 18. "The 49th meeting of the GST Council is scheduled to be held at New Delhi on February 18, 2023," the GST Council said in a tweet on Friday. The council may take up a discussion on the report of a group of ministers on taxation of 'pan masala' and 'gutka' firms and a report by a Group of Ministers (GoM) on setting up of appellate tribunals. The report by another GoM, chaired by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, for GST levy on online gaming, casinos and horse racing may come up for deliberations. These three GoM reports were part of the agenda items in the last GST Council meeting, that was held on December 17, 2022.
Central Board of Indirect Taxes chief Vivek Johri on Saturday said online games where winning is dependent on a certain outcome would attract 28 per cent GST on the full bet value. Though the report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on online gaming did not come up for discussion at the GST Council, the department would go by the view that 28 per cent GST is payable on full bet value put in by a player, and not net of margins. The comments assume significance as the Gameskraft Technology Pvt Ltd (GTPL) GST evasion case is still in the court. Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in September issued a show cause notice to Bengaluru-based online gaming company Gameskraft Technology Pvt Ltd (GTPL), for not Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore. Asked what would be the position of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC) since the Council has not decided yet on the GoM report, Johri said the department's view is that 28 per cent GST is payable on actionab
Auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers on Saturday welcomed the GST Council's clarification on the definition of SUVs, saying it is on the lines of its discussions with the finance ministry. Briefing reporters after the 48th GST Council meeting, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the higher rate of compensation cess of 22 per cent is applicable to a motor vehicle fulfilling all four conditions -- it is popularly known as SUV; has engine capacity exceeding 1,500cc; length exceeding 4,000 mm; has ground clearance of 170 mm and above. In response, SIAM in a statement said this has brought in a clarity that higher rate of compensation cess of 22 per, over and above of 28 per of GST, will be applicable only on such vehicles which meet all the four conditions. "SIAM is thankful to ministry of finance, government of India and the GST Council for issuing a clarification on the definition of SUVs," it added. This is on the lines of SIAM's recommendations and bas