Kochi: Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Customs and Services in Kochi Pullela Nageswara Rao says it would take another three months to resolve the glitches connected with the implementation of Goods and Services Tax. Speaking to reporters, Rao said the department was planning 400 outreach programmes in the states to address the grievances connected with the GST “We hope to resolve most of the issues in the next two to three months”, he said, and added that “the implementation of such a major reform is expected to cause some teething troubles”.
The government and the tax authorities were constantly monitoring issues and remedial measures were being initiated to resolve the problems. Rao also revealed that the tax authorities had decided to bring the issue of GST imposed on bamboo goods before the GST council meeting scheduled for Friday. Bamboo goods were not taxed before the GST regime. But after GST it would attract 28 percent tax. “We have received several representations in this regard from bamboo goods makers and the matter will be brought to the attention of the council”, Rao said.
On complaints about traders not passing tax benefits to end consumers, Rao said the authorities had received around 20-30 complaints in this regard. “Action will be taken against those indulging in such violations after verifying the veracity of the complaints”, he said. He however said that the tax authorities were now pre-occupied with the removal of glitches connected with the system. He also said that the GST council and the government should do something about the 18 percent GST for air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned restaurants operating from the same premises.
