Micro, medium and small scale enterprises (MSMEs) need more support in complying with GST through proactive helpdesk and grievance redressal mechanism, said senior Charted Accountant, R. Sridhar.
Addressing a discussion on GST organised by Commissionerate of GST, Madurai and Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Thursday, Mr. Sridhar said that corporates and big business enterprises could afford to get the services of experts in filing the GST returns. However MSMEs were unable to afford such a luxury. They had number of doubts on categorisation of goods under various labels – nil taxation, exempted from taxation and non taxable. “In many cases, the queries raised through the helpdesk and the grievance redressal mechanism were not replied,” he said.
Mr. Sridhar suggested that all the queries raised under the grievance redressal mechanism should be copied to the jurisdictional assessing officer concerned for effectively resolving the grievances. “Any further changes in the GST should be implemented only after a public discussion. Similarly, there were many deviations in the e-way billing exemptions. Different States followed different rules on e-way exemption, when GST is said to be one-nation, one tax” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, chamber senior president, S. Rethinavelu, said that GST was good as it had done away with many taxes. It was also transparent and has increased the compliance of tax paying.
However, he said that tax rates on various goods should be brought down considerably. Similarly, he wanted liquor, petrol and diesel, electricity and real estate to be brought under GST net. While filing four returns (three every month and one yearly) was a great burden to the trade and industry, he said e-way bills was a solution to do away with filing of multiple returns.
Joint Commissioners, V. Pandiraja (Central GST) and S. M. Saraswathi (State GST), Principal of American College, M. Dhavamani Christober, and chamber president N. Jagadessan, were among those who spoke.
