Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be a game changer.
Addressing a gathering comprising MLAs, Ministers, officials and media persons at a city hotel, Mr. Parrikar said, “It would prove to be a game changer in real terms when the transition from old system to new will be smooth. The results will be seen in two to three months.”
“This is one legislation for which all legislators have to be proud. Its not important who has done it, Congress or BJP. It was done because it was required for the nation,’’ he said. Stating that the GST is a combination of various indirect taxes and would do away with “headaches” like octroi, the Cm hoped that prices would come down in two to three months.
The CM disclosed that one round of sensitisation on GST was over and the next round would be taken up next month.
He said the government would form an advisory team comprising chartered accountants and experts in every taluk and available at a fixed place so that those in need could approach them.
“Free consultation at a fixed time will be available at every district and taluk headquarters,’’ he said.
He said B.Com students would be given training and would be permitted to fill in tax return forms. He termed it as a way of generating indirect employment opportunities.
He admitted that there could be initial hiccups but those could be overcome during course of time.
“But I can tell one thing that after six months everyone will realise that virtually headache of many other issues has evaporated,’’ he said.
However, the Goa Commercial Taxes Commissioner Deepak M. Bandekar told The Hindu later that at present Goa has an average tax incidence of 10% all commercial taxes taken together. With the 18% GST rate on goods, Goa may be actually be a loser by around 1 per cent on implementation of GST( as it’s share would be 9%). However, in terms of services, the GST would bring a huge benefit to it as it will get 9% share right away on implementation of GST.
