Shimla, July 1: A daylong bandh called by traders over tax slabs under the GST passed off peacefully. Traders and business establishments partially downed their shutters in support of their demands to make changes in the threshold limits for traders. “Traders’ bodies submitted memorandums to the Prime Minister seeking uniform GST in all 11 special category states, including Himachal,” said Somesh Kumar, president, HP Beopar Mandal.
On the other hand, the state Excise and Taxation Department has set up facilitation centres in all its 13 tax collection centres in the office of the Assistant Commissioner across the state. “We are setting up the GST Suvidha Kendras soon for customers who have opted for the GST,” said KK Sharma, state Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner.
Himachal is one among few states in the country that has launched online tax collection facility for customers at all 80 tax assessing authorities in the state. “Of the 70,000 customers, over 98 per cent have already opted for the GST and others are also in the pipeline,” he added.
Talking about the demands of the traders, Sharma said the GST for special categories state was about the same. “Any change in threshold limit of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh have to come from the Central GST council and it does not fall under the preview of the state,” he added. “Of all 2,111 items approved by the GST Council, all essential items like rice, wheat, pulses, bread, salt, milk, butter milk, curd stamps, judicial papers, printed books and newspapers that constitutes about 7 per cent, are exempted from the GST,” he said.
The GST on 500 services had been approved under four different slabs — 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent in Himachal, he added. From July all registered users would have to file tax reports thrice every month, he added.
Source Tribune India
