Reference Text
Time Left10:00
Since
its
midnight
launch
on
July
1
last
year,
India's
Goods
and
Services
Tax
regime
has
evolved
significantly.
There
have
been
serious
implementation
issues,
but
also
the
administrative
will
and
flexibility
to
address
most
of
these,
with
the
Centre
and
States
working
together
in
the
GST
Council.
After
its
initial
days
were
marred
by
stuttering
IT
systems,
the
deadline
for
filing
returns
was
pushed
forward
till
most
taxpayers
got
a
hang
of
the
system
and
the
GST
Network
could
augment
its
capacity.
Industry
had
anxieties
about
the
multiple
tax
rates,
ranging
from
zero
to
28%,
with
a
cess
on
demerit
goods.
But
gradually,
the
number
of
goods
under
the
28%
bracket
has
been
brought
down
to
50
from
around
200.
A
unique
component
envisaged
in
India's
GST
regime,
matching
of
invoices
for
granting
tax
credits,
has
been
kept
on
hold
for
fear
of
adding
to
taxpayers'
transition
pains.
Despite
its
glitches
and
snarls,
the
new
tax
has
taken
firm
root
and
is
altering
the
economic
landscape
positively.
The
strongest
sign
of
this
is
the
entry
of
over
4.5
million
entities
in
the
country's
tax
net,
many
of
which
would
have
so
far
been
part
of
the
cash-driven,
informal
economy.
This
expansion
of
the
tax
net
will
also
help
increase
direct
tax
collections.
At
Sunday's
GST
Day
celebrations,
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
ruled
out
a
single
tax
rate
but
hinted
at
lower
rates
for
more
items.
He
was
reacting
to
criticism
about
the
flawed
implementation
of
the
One
Nation,
One
Tax
concept.
Rhetoric
aside,
there
is
a
clear
buoyancy
in
revenue
after
a
wobbly
initial
trend.
The
government
was
eyeing
a
little
over
?90,000
crore
a
month
to
make
up
for
the
revenues
earned
under
the
earlier
regime
and
to
compensate
States
for
any
losses
due
to
the
GST.
Finance
Minister
Piyush
Goyal
is
confident
that
the
average
monthly
collections
this
year
could
touch
?110,000
crore.
This
surge
must
allay
the
fiscal
concerns
of
the
Centre
and
the
States,
and
nudge
policy-makers
towards
further
rationalising
the
GST
structure.
If
not
a
single
rate,
there
is
certainly
room
for
collapsing
at
least
two
of
the
current
rates.
It
is
also
imperative
that
rates
not
be
tinkered
with
too
often
and
pricing
disputes
not
be
a
default
option
under
anti-profiteering
norms
for
industry.
If
cement,
as
a
critical
infrastructure
input,
must
be
taxed
lower
than
28%,
then
decide
a
rate
and
stick
to
it.
In
its
second
year,
the
GST
Council
must
pursue
a
time-bound
approach
to
execute
plans
already
announced
to
ease
taxpayers'
woes,
such
as
an
e-wallet
for
exporters
and
a
simpler
return
form.
Besides,
there
must
be
a
road
map
to
bring
excluded
products
petroleum,
real
estate,
electricity,
alcohol
into