By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 19, 2017: THE Union Government is fully geared up to roll out GST from July 1 but there are still four States which are not on board. And they are - Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Jammu & Kashmir. As many as 27 States and UTs have passed the SGST laws - that is another issue that the full text of all these laws are not available in the public domain.

While talking about the CBEC field formations' preparedness the CBEC Chairperson has congratulated the Hyderabad Zone Chief Commissioner for developing a guidance manual for GST Sewa Kendras in English and Hindi. While emphasising the historical reality of July 1, the Chairperson has asked the CBEC officers to decorate all the buildings and premises of GST Commissionerates/offices of CBEC with lights and the GST slogan "One Nation - One Tax - One Market" prominently displayed. She has stated in her communication that this would go a long way in reinforcing to the tax administrations and the public at large that GST shall forge strong and enduring partnership amongst the Centre, the States, the taxpayers and the common man.

She has also eased the Board's earlier fiat that all articles on GST should be sent to the GST Policy Wing of the Board for vetting. Now, the Chief Commissioners have been authorised to do the same.

On the issue of service matters, she has informed that the DoPT has approved relaxation of the eligibility service for promotion of 2008 batch officers to the grade of Joint Commissioners during the vacancy year 2017-18 with effect from 1st July, 2017. This will help the department fill the existing vacancies in this crucial grade. We are proposing to hold the DPC shortly so that the officers are promoted from the effective date.