Delay in GST setback for nation: Swamy explains his tweet

Explaining his tweet demanding for the dismissal of Goods and Services Tax-Network (GSTN) chairman Navin Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday said that delaying the GST was a major setback for India.

"This was their responsibility. It was made private so that they won't keep on delaying like the public sectors do. This is a setback for the nation as everybody was focusing on it. That's why I am demanding that GSTN should be nationalised and the chairman should be sacked," Swamy told ANI.

He further said that Infosys had informed the Finance Ministry that they would not be in a position to put the computer programme necessary for the GSTN by July 1 therefore, it won't be rolled out.

Swamy later took to Twitter and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should constitute a Special Implementation Team (SIT) probe to set up a secure GST in the Indian economy.

"The Prime Minister should constitute a Special Implementation Team (SIT) to see that a healthy and nationally secure GST can be set up in the economy," Swamy told ANI.

Earlier in the day, Swamy tweeted, "I demand Union Government nationalise GSTN and sack the Chairman GSTN for this monumental fiasco of being unable to active it by July 1."

Dismissing the doubts about the state of preparedness for the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, GST Network chairman Navin Kumar on Friday said that the system was fully ready for the July 1 launch.

However, the IT system for the proposed e-way bill is still being worked on, and it may have to be deferred by two-three months.

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) may base the e-way bill system on Karnataka's e-transit system.

According to the draft e-way bill, issued in April, movement of goods worth over Rs. 50,000 had to be mandatorily registered with the GST Network.

The GST Council is expected to approve the rules in its meeting on Sunday.

Fearing revenue loss, most states are keen that the e-way bill be introduced alongside the GST regime.

GSTN, which will provide the IT backbone for the new indirect tax levy, expects about 320 crore invoices to be uploaded every month by nearly 80 lakh taxpayers.

To manage this traffic, it plans to launch a campaign to encourage taxpayers to upload their invoices regularly.

It is also working with GST Suvidha Providers (GSPs) to finalise their software and Application Programme Interface (APIs), which should be ready by the first week of July.

The GSTN will also reopen the enrollment window for existing taxpayers from June 25 as well as new taxpayers who are not assessed for value-added tax.