GST launch mock drill today: Know how Team Jaitley is preparing for July 1

GST war room is an important element in the government's launch effort

With three more days to go before India's biggest tax reform in decades is implemented, the Narendra Modi-led government is all geared up to ensure that nothing goes amiss on July 1. For this, a mega rehearsal has been planned today in the Central Hall of Parliament. The rehearsal, scheduled to be held at 10 PM, may be supervised by either Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, his deputies Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and S S Ahluwalia, or Secretary Rajiv Yadav, official sources told Firstpost.

Officers from various departments including those from the finance ministry will be part of the rehearsal event, they said.

The GST Feedback and Action Room set up by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) is keeping a close watch to ensure all processes are in place for a smooth rollout.

"A special war room has been created to address doubts arising over GST, beforehand," a senior government official told The Economics Times.

It will operate from eight in the morning to 10 in the evening, providing a single window for the resolution of any GST-related issue.

GST war room

The war room is an important element in the government's launch effort. It is backed by many government officials. Every ministry and department has created GST cells dedicated to the sectors they deal with. 

Custom departments: porters and traders will start filing bills of entry and shipping in the new format aligned with the GST framework starting today.

CBEC has directed field formations to answer any query industry and small businesses may have. Centre has asked officials to respond to those who walk into their offices seeking clarification.

Field officials have been directed to assist taxpayers and businesses with regard to aspects of GST.

GST will be launched exactly at midnight

GST will be launched at the midnight of June 30 in the Central Hall of Parliament in an hour-long event.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda will be among those who will attend the special event, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference last week.

Both the President and the Prime Minister will speak on the subject and two short films on GST will be screened in the Central Hall.

All Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members have been invited as also chief ministers and state finance ministers, the sources said. However, while NDA government is going all out to celebrate GST roll out, deliberations are on in Opposition camp whether to attend the much talked about event in the Parliament or not. Few opposition parties leaders are contemplating to boycott the event keeping small traders sentiments in mind. 

GST Timeline

The UPA government announced GST in 2006

The Constitutional amendment was introduced in 2011. 

GST was passed unanimously by Parliament in 2016."