GoM for 12% GST on AC eateries, composition scheme tax cut

Agencies
October 30, 2017

New Delhi, Oct 30: The ministerial panel working to make GST composition scheme more attractive today suggested slashing tax rate to 1 per cent for manufacturers and restaurants, while easier norms for traders opting for it.

Currently, manufacturers and restaurants with turnover up to Rs 1 crore pay GST under composition scheme at 2 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. The same for traders is 1 per cent.

In its second meeting, the Group of Ministers, headed by Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, today also suggested doing away with the tax rate distinction between AC and non-AC restaurants, those which are not covered under composition scheme, and tax them at 12 per cent with input credit.

It also suggested that eating out at hotels, which has room tariff of more than Rs 7,500, should attract an uniform 18 per cent tax rate instead of any separate category for 5- star hotel.

The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising his state counterparts, on November 10 in Guwahati is likely to take up the recommendations of the GoM, which was set up earlier this month.

With regard to traders, the GoM suggested two prongedapproach for taxation under the composition scheme.

It suggested that traders who want to exclude the sale proceeds of tax-free items from its turnover, it can pay 1 per cent GST (Goods and Services Tax). However, those traders who pay tax on total turnover, the tax rate has been proposed at 0.5 per cent.

For example, supposing a trader deals in goods which are tax exempt as well as those which are taxable under the GST and has a turnover of Rs 1 crore. Of this, Rs 40 lakh turnover is from sale of tax-exempt items and remaining Rs 60 lakh from taxable goods.

So, traders deciding to pay tax on total Rs 1 crore turnover can pay 0.5 per cent, while those wanting to pay tax on Rs 60 lakh can cough up 1 per cent GST.

"The GoM decided that tax rates under composition scheme for restaurants and manufacturers be lowered to 1 per cent. For traders the ministerial group suggested two tax rates," an official told PTI.

The GoM also recommended allowing businesses who are engaged in inter-state sale to avail the composition scheme, he added.

Around 15 lakh businesses opted for composition scheme, which allows them to pay taxes at a concessional rate and makes compliance easy under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which rolled out from July 1. There are over 1 crore businesses registered under GST.

Composition scheme is open for manufacturers, restaurants and traders whose turnover does not exceed Rs 1 crore. This threshold was earlier Rs 75 lakh and the GST Council earlier this month raised it to Rs 1 crore from October 1.

While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis, a composition supplier is required to file only one return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis.

Also, a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain.

The GoM was tasked with revisiting the tax structure of different categories of restaurants with the aim of rationalising or reducing the rates, apart from making composition scheme more attractive for businesses.

Currently, GST is levied at 12 per cent on non-AC restaurants, while it is 18 per cent for air-conditioned ones.

The other members of the GoM are Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Chhattisgarh Minister of Commercial Taxes Amar Agrawal.

The GoM has also suggested that manufacturers engaged in job works can be allowed to opt for composition scheme, the official added.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Kabul, May 11: Four back-to-back roadside bombs exploded in a northern district of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday, wounding four civilians including a child, police said. Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramarz said a clearance team was at the site of the attacks.

Militants have carried out several roadside bombings and rocket attacks in Kabul and other parts of the country in recent weeks, but Monday's four consecutive explosions appeared to be the first coordinated effort for some months.

The Taliban has not carried out any large attacks in the city since they signed a landmark withdrawal deal with the US in February, meant to pave the way for peace in the country. No group has claimed the attacks. The explosions come as authorities are trying to impose a lockdown in the capital to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Mumbai, Jul 30: Counterfeiting incidents have increased 24 per cent in the country in 2019 over the previous year, creating an over Rs 1 lakh crore hole in the economy, according to a report.

The report also said counterfeiters are having a free run due to the pandemic-driven disruptions to organised supply chains and the resultant spike in consumer demand.

According to the report by ASPA, a self-regulated industry body of anti-counterfeiting and traceability solutions providers, counterfeiting has risen steadily in the last few years, and exploiting the pandemic as a cover for their activities.

Between February and April 2020, over 150 incidents of counterfeiting cases were reported, mostly about fake PPE kits, sanitisers and masks taking advantage of the high demand for these products, it noted.

"There was a 24 per cent increase in counterfeiting in 2019 over 2018, leading to the loss of more than Rs 1 lakh crore to the overall economy," said Nakul Pasricha, president of Authentication Solution Providers Association.

The association works with global authorities like the International Hologram Manufacturers Association, Counterfeit Intelligence Bureau of the Interpol, and domestic industry lobbies like Ficci, he said.

Counterfeiting is a universal issue and is 3.3 per cent of global trade, according to the OECD data, impacting social and economic development across the world.

The report lists the currency, FMCG, alcohol, pharma, documents, agriculture, infrastructure, automotive, tobacco, lifestyle and apparel, as the 10 sectors impacted most by counterfeiting.

Among these, currency, alcohol and FMCG continue to be the top three sectors with the highest counterfeiting in the last two years. The FMCG sector is most vulnerable, as counterfeit incidents rose 63 per cent between 2018 (79) and 2019 when the reported cases jumped to 129.

Within the states, the fakers have a free run in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Punjab, Jharkhand, Delhi, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand, calling for urgent actions to frame anti-counterfeiting policy measures.

According to the report, UP continues to be on top followed by Bihar, Rajasthan, and together these three states represent almost 45 per cent of all counterfeiting reported in the last two years.

What is more alarming is that counterfeiting is not limited to high-end luxury items today, as common everyday items as fake cumin seeds, mustard cooking oil, ghee, hair oils, soaps, baby care vaccines and medicines are aplenty in the markets.

"There is an urgent need for building and nurturing authentication ecosystems in the country with the active involvement and active participation of all stakeholders," said Pasricha.

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Agencies
May 30,2020

New Delhi, May 30: The Congress on Friday described the first year of the Modi government as a "year of disappointment, disastrous management and diabolical pain".

Congress leader K C Venugopal said the six years of the Modi dispensation have seen fraying of bonds of empathy, fraternity and brotherhood with increase in acts of communal and sectarian violence.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that at the end of six years, it appears the Modi government is at war with its people and is inflicting wounds on them, instead of healing them.

"It is inflicting wounds on Mother India," he said.

"This government is trying to fill coffers of the select rich and is inflicting pain on the poor," Surjewala said.

On the BJP's charge of the Congress playing politics over the COVID-19 crisis, Venugopal said the opposition party did not indulge in any politics and gave suggestions instead.

"Being a responsible opposition, it is our duty to raise the problems faced by the common people. As opposition, we highlighted the failures of the government," he said.

Venugopal said the government "is totally insensitive" to the plight of migrant labourers and farmers.

Surjewala also demanded that a virtual session of Parliament be convened immediately to discuss pressing issues and the due process be set in motion for holding of meetings of various parliamentary committees.

Modi and his cabinet had taken oath on this day last year for a second term in office.

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