GST to subsume over a dozen Central, State taxes

The Goods and Services Tax Act will amalgamate over a dozen of Central and State taxes into a single tax (GST) in States like Karnataka. The Centre has targeted the implementation of GST from April 1 2017.

The GST would subsume State taxes such as State Value Added Tax (VAT), Central sales tax, luxury tax, entry tax (all forms), entertainment and amusement tax (except when levied by the local bodies), taxes on advertisements, purchase tax, taxes on lotteries, betting, and gambling, State surcharges and cess so far, as they relate to supply of goods and services, according to a booklet ‘GST Overview’ prepared by the State Finance Department. GST will apply to all goods other than alcohol and five petroleum products — petroleum crude, motor spirit (petrol), high speed diesel, natural gas and aviation turbine fuel. Taxes on entertainments and amusements to the extent levied and collected by a panchayat or municipality or a regional council will not be subsumed under GST.

The local bodies of States could continue to levy such taxes.

The GST to be levied by the Centre on intra-State supply of goods and/or services would be called Central GST (CGST) and that to be levied by States would be called State GST (SGST). CGST and SGST will be levied at rates recommended by the GST Council, the Finance Department said.

Parliament will have power to make laws with respect to GST imposed by the Centre and the State legislatures will make laws with respect to GST imposed by States. Parliament will have exclusive power to make laws with respect to GST where the supply of goods/and or services takes place in the course of inter-State trade and commerce (IGST).

The list of exempted goods and services will be common for the Centre and States, and will be finalised by the GST Council.