Cabinet Secretary asks Ministries to set up GST Facilitation Cells
By TIOL News Service
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NEW DELHI, JUNE 06, 2017: THE Cabinet Secretary, Mr P.K. Sinha, has asked the Secretaries of the different Departments to set-up a Goods and Service Tax (GST) Facilitation Cell in their respective Ministry. Mr Sinha said that the Cell, in turn, shall be in constant touch with the major industry and business associations relating to the respective Ministry and provide all possible support for the smooth roll-out of GST w.e.f. 1st July, 2017. The Cabinet Secretary in a letter to the Secretaries of the different Ministries has further mentioned that the GST Facilitation Cell can preferably be managed by a small core team headed by the Economic Adviser or any other designated officer of the respective Ministry/Department. He said while the Department of Revenue, is making the Help lines operational for any individual tax payer to seek resolution of any legal or IT related issues, the GST Facilitation Cell, on the other hand, could serve as the first point of contact for addressing any issue being faced by any business or industrial sector related to the respective Ministry. The Cabinet Secretary further added that this would greatly facilitate the roll-out of GST.
The Cabinet Secretary in his letter to the Secretaries of the different Ministries has also asked them to ensure that all Public Sector Units (PSUs) under the administrative control of their respective Ministry/Department are GST Compliant before 1st July, 2017. He asked the Secretaries to have meeting(s) with all the CMDs/Chair Persons of the PSUs, if any, under their charge in order to sensitize them towards GST roll-out. The Cabinet Secretary further added that preferably each PSU may constitute a GST Cell, which, in turn, should be fully equipped with the complete knowledge of all the relevant GST Act/Rules/Rate Structure etc.
The Cabinet Secretary has further stated that to ensure smooth and successful roll-out of GST, it is essential that all stakeholders, both in the Government as well outside, are adequately prepared for the roll-out. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that all sectors/businesses are GST ready before 1st July, 2017.
Earlier, the Revenue Secretary, Dr. Hasmukh Adhia had also written to the Secretaries of the different Ministries/Departments that there is an urgent need for all the Central Governments Ministries/PSUs (working under them) to be made aware of the basic features of GST Law and procedures, including implication in their respective areas of work. The Revenue Secretary had stated that the PSUs and other entities who are likely to pay GST need to be GST ready.
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