Govt starts Twitter handle to answer queries on GST

The Union government on Sunday (May 28) started a new Twitter handle to answer industry queries related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) proposed to be implemented from July 1.

"The Department of Revenue has opened a new Twitter Handle @askGST_GoI to invite queries from all taxpayers on GST," a finance ministry statement said.

"All taxpayers and other stakeholders are welcome to direct their queries related to GST on the said Twitter handle for early resolution and clarification," it added.

Earlier this month, the GST Council at its meeting in Srinagar decided on the fitment of over 1,211 commodities and 500 services in four tax slabs of 5, 12, 18, and 28 per cent.

The Council, comprising of states' finance ministers and headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, will take up the fitment of the remaining six goods, including gold and precious metals, textiles, bidis, and branded commodities at its next meeting slated for June 3.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said in a statement that the various tax slabs under the proposed pan-India indirect tax regime of the GST have created an environment of anxiety and concern among the trading community across the country

"Various verticals of retail trade demanding a lower tax on the items being dealt by them since they have been categorised under higher tax slab in comparison to tax slab of current VAT tax regime," a CAIT release said.

"As per an analysis, 1,211 goods and 36 services have been so far classified under GST out of which nearly 50 percent goods have been placed under 18 percent rate, 14 percent under 5 percent rate, 17 percent under 12 percent rate and 19 percent under 28 percent rate," it said.

"The wider impact of the classification of items under different tax slabs needs to be gauged very cautiously since under GST not only the taxes paid on goods but even the taxes paid on the services will be eligible for input tax credit," CAIT added.