The Narendra Modi government at the Centre is contemplating a carrot and stick approach to induce ‘green’ behaviour in people.
Green GST (Goods and Services Tax) or eco-taxes is what people responsible for causing pollution through industrial and other units may have to pay. Likewise, those embracing sustainable eco-friendly development modes may get incentives like tax exemptions, said S.K. Rahman, Additional Director General, GST, New Delhi.
Mr. Rahman was speaking after receiving Paryavaran Mitra National Eminence Award-2019, organised by Philanthropic Society, in association with AP State Bio-diversity Board, to mark World Environment Day, here on Saturday.
He said in the past, there was a clean energy cess imposed on units causing pollution and the tax thus collected would be spent for an environmental cause. “Now there is no cess system since all taxes are subsumed in GST and we need to think of a way to reward and penalise people contributing to a healthy environment and the ones polluting it respectively,” he said.
Different structure
Though the idea was generated in 2017, it did not gather steam as the allied wings did not come forward to take it to the next level.
“Eco-taxes will be part of the GST and only the structure of the tax will change. It will be non-rebatable or non-fundable tax credit,” Mr. Rahman explained, adding that it was in the planning stage and that the Ministry of Environment would have to take an initiative in this direction.
He said the features of GST were changing and invited people to forward their suggestions, assuring them that they would be taken into count.
Mr. Rahman recollected his role as the Additional Commissioner, Central Excise Service Tax from 2013 to 2015 in Guntur and as the Commissioner, Customs Department from 2015 to 2017, and said during this period he and his department officials and staff contributed their mite in growing trees wherever their offices were located.
Awardees
Founder of Philanthropic Society Addanki Raja said the objective of the awards was not just to recognise the good work done by the 22 recipients but also to inspire others to follow their example.
Among the awardees are: K. Thulasi Rao, Director, Research and Extension, AP State Biodiversity Board, a couple from Khammam Daripalli Ramaiah and Janakamma, who received Padmasri award for their good work in this sector, professor of horticulture, Dr. YSR HU, M.B. Nageswara Rao and educationist and former principal of K.V.R. Government Degree and PG College, Nandigama.
