GST Implementation in India

India’s biggest tax reform is now a reality. A comprehensive dual Goods and Services Tax (GST) has replaced the complex multiple indirect tax structure from 1 July 2017.
The concept of GST was visualized for the first time in 1999. On 8 August 2016, the Constitutional Amendment Bill for roll out of GST was passed by the Parliament, followed by ratification of the bill by more than 15 states and enactment of the bill in early September.
The GST Council consisting of representatives from the Central as well as state Government, met on eighteen occasions in last ten months and cleared –
  • Also Read :-  What is GST..?
  • GST laws,
  • GST Rules,
  • Tax rate structure including Compensation Cess,
  • Classification of goods and services into different rate slabs,
  • Exemptions,
  • Thresholds,
  • Tax administration
On 12 April 2017, the Central Government enacted four GST Bills:
  • Central GST (CGST)
  • Integrated GST (IGST)
  • Union Territory GST (UTGST)
  • Bill to Compensate States
In a short span of time, all the states (excluding Jammu and Kashmir) approved their State GST (SGST) laws. Union territories with legislature, i.e., Delhi & Puducherry, have adopted SGST Act and the balance 5 Union territories without legislatures have adopted UTGST Act.
The government has also notified GST rules, tax rates on goods and services, exemption list and categories of services on which reverse charge is applicable.
The second phase of enrolment process for migrating existing taxpayers to the proposed tax regime through GST common portal has already commenced from 1 June 2017. GST Network, an IT backbone of GST, has also carried out the test run of its Portal. GSTN has released offline utility for GSTR-1.
Return filing procedure for the first two months of GST implementation is relaxed. Tax would be payable for the first two months based on a simple return Form GSTR – 3B containing a summary of outward and inward supplies. This form is required to be submitted before the 20th of the succeeding month. However, invoice details in regular GSTR-1 would also have to be filed for the month of July and August 2017, as per the timelines given below:
Return for month
GSTR – 1
GSTR – 2 (auto populated from GSTR-1)
GSTR – 3B
Due date
Extended date
Due date
Extended date
July 2017
10 August
1—5 September
11—15 August
6—10 September
20 August
August 2017
10 September
16—20 September
11—15 September
21—25 September
20 September

Also Read :-   GST Returns Froms.

Rate classification for goods

Exempt

5%

12%

18%

28%

28% + Cess

Food grains
Cereals
Milk
Jaggery
Common Salt
Coal
Sugar
Tea & Coffee
Drugs & Medicine
Edible Oil
Fruit Juices
Vegetable Juices
Beverages containing milk
Jams
Kitchenware
Hair Oil
Soap
Toothpaste
Glass fibre
Air conditioner
Refrigerators
Small cars
(1% / 3% cess)
Luxury cars
(15% cess)

Rate classification for services

Exempt

5%

12%-18%

28%

  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Residential accommodation
  • Hotel/ Lodges with tariff below INR 1000

  • Goods transport
  • Rail tickets (other than sleeper class)
  • Economy class air tickets
  • Cab aggregators
  • Selling space for advertisements in print media
  • Works contract
  • Business Class air travel
  • Telecom services
  • Financial services
  • Restaurant services
  • Hotel/ Lodges with tariff between INR 1000 and 7500
  • Cinema tickets
  • Betting
  • Gambling
  • Hotel/ Lodges with tariff above INR 7500
Only rates of select goods and services have been mentioned here
  • GST rate on pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, diamonds (other than rough diamonds), precious metals (like gold and silver), imitation jewellery, coins – 3%
  • GST rate on rough diamonds – 0.25%

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