GST Launch: Excise, Service Tax Payers Being Moved To GST Platform

Several state ministers, like West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra, and others have expressed doubt over the centre’s ability to meet the 1 April deadline for rolling out the goods and services tax (GST). Among the concerns raised are the notion that GST roll-out will come as a second blow to the country, after demonetisation, and the compensation for states, especially in the wake of the recent cash crunch, is still up for debate.

However, the Union government seems firm on its resolve to meet the 1 April deadline. On Monday (9 January), the centre started the migration of existing central excise and service tax assessees to the GST platform. As part of the requirement is a valid income tax permanent account number (PAN). The finance ministry release said,

The Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) is sending emails and recorded telephonic messages to all registered central excise and service tax assessees requesting them to migrate to GST. The migration has to be done as early as possible, said the release, and latest by 31 January 2017.

With inputs from IANS