State ready to roll out GST, expects 15% more revenue

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 21

Himachal being a consumer state was eagerly awaiting the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime as it will result in minimum increase of 15 per cent in tax revenue.

More than 70 per cent registered traders have migrated to Goods and Services Tax (GST) while the remaining traders and some other unregistered traders would migrate to the GST soon. There was some issue with matching of PAN number details but it has been sorted out and the state is all set to roll out GST regime, said Additional Excise and taxation Commissioner K K Sharma.

To dispel the apprehension that cumbersome process of filing of returns under the GST would cause inconvenience to small traders, Sharma said elaborate training programme was under way across the state. Traders will be educated and informed about the objectives and benefits of the GST.

Excise and Taxation Officers (ETOs) and other accessing authorities have been directed to facilitate the traders and guide them in case they face any problem. Public sector undertakings (PSU) are also being sensitized.

“The information technology (IT) enabled GST network is already in place and the registered dealers, who were earlier registered under different tax categories like Value added Tax (VAT), Passenger and Goods Tax (PGT), Other Taxes and duties (OTD) luxury tax etc, have switched over to GST regime, said Sharma.

The state will also gain from the Service Tax which was earlier under the Central excise. This will now be a part of the GST and the traders, dealers and other stakeholders will stand to benefit as all of them will be registered under a single category.

The GST will ensure transparency as filing of returns would be online and audit, assessment would be done under stipulated time frame. Unhealthy competition over tax rates would b halted as liquor and petroleum, which are main sources of resource generation, have been kept out of the ambit of the GST.

However, small traders are still apprehensive that the cumbersome procedures would require engaging an accountant which will add to their burden. Uneducated shopkeepers will face great difficulty as everything would be online, said Shimla Beopar Mandal president Inderjeet Singh.

Training programmes under way

• To dispel the apprehension of the traders that cumbersome process of filing of returns would cause inconvenience to small traders elaborate training programmes was under way across the state
• Excise and Taxation Officers (ETOs) and other accessing authorities have been directed to facilitate the traders and guide them in case they face any problem 
• Public sector undertakings (PSU) are also being sensitized