Page 4 - Goods And Services Tax

Need proactive outreach for easy transition to new GST rates: CBIC chief

With the reduced GST rates on 375 items set to be effective from September 22, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chief Sanjay Kumar Agarwal has underlined the need for "proactive outreach" by tax officers to handhold trade and industry in navigating the transition smoothly. He said greater awareness will not only minimise confusion but also enable businesses, particularly small traders and MSMEs, to adapt seamlessly and fully benefit from the reforms. The GST Council, in its meeting last week, has approved to make Goods and Services Tax (GST) a two-tier structure of 5 and 18 per cent, with a special rate of 40 per cent on tobacco and related products and ultra-luxury items. The new rates will be effective September 22, barring tobacco and related products, which would continue to be taxed at 28 per cent plus a compensation cess till December 31. Currently, GST is levied in the slabs of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. In his weekly newsletter to tax officers, Agarwal sa

GST 2.0: Towards simpler and citizen-centric indirect tax regime

The GST Council's efforts at rationalisation have steadily lowered the system's complexity while sustaining revenue buoyancy

GST revamp to set off demand, investment, job cycle: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Sitharaman says the govt will shift focus to speed up disinvestment

GST cut a partial cushion against trade headwinds, says Mahesh Nandurkar

GST rate cuts are definitely positive for consumption, especially with the festival season approaching, says Nandurkar

Bima Sugam can deepen insurance penetration, but must be fair, transparent

Bima Sugam aims to transform insurance with a digital one-stop platform for buying, managing, and claiming policies, targeting "Insurance for All by 2047

Defiance won't beget India respect, export-focused manufacturing base will

One of the best ways to judge the impact of any policy is to check its effect on stock prices of companies, supposedly benefiting

Industry body hails agri input GST cuts, seeks similar relief for seeds

The Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) on Saturday welcomed the GST Council's decision to slash rates on key agricultural inputs while urging similar relief for the seed sector. The move to cut GST on fertiliser raw materials, bio-pesticides, micronutrients and farm machinery will substantially lower input costs and create economic momentum, the industry body said. "This is a transformative step for Indian agriculture. The government has directly empowered farmers and strengthened the rural economy," said Ajai Rana, FSII Chairman and CEO of Savannah Seeds. However, FSII flagged that similar reforms are overdue for the seed sector. Currently, GST exemption on seeds denies the industry input tax credit (ITC) benefits on most inputs and services. Items like packaging, logistics, warehousing and chemical treatments attract standard GST rates, creating a higher tax burden on seeds versus other agri inputs with concessional rates. The body urged the government to either fully .

Markets log best week in 2 months as GST revamp boosts growth hopes

Benchmark indices end the week higher, posting their best gains in over two months, with optimism from GST reforms on everyday goods

Experts welcome GST Council move to ease post-sale discount disputes

GST Council amends rules on post-sale discounts to allow credit notes without invoice linkage, a change experts say will reduce litigation and benefit businesses

GST reforms to boost competitiveness of exporters across sectors

The removal of the value threshold for GST refunds will significantly benefit small and e-commerce exporters by making even low-value shipments eligible for refunds

Low prices, high GST: Double whammy for upstream energy companies

GST Council recommends raising GST on oil and gas exploration services from 12% to 18%, potentially impacting the margins of Indian upstream companies facing declining energy prices

GST exemption on life, health policies: Lock in lower term premiums now

Enhance sum insured on base health policy, buy add-on cover

A new GST: The indirect tax system simplified for greater efficiency

The removal of the 12 and 28 per cent slabs and the shifting of items from these slabs to 5 and 18 per cent will make a large number of consumer items cheaper

GST on luxury cars, SUVs now at 40%, but it's still good news for consumers

GST Council announcements: New two-slab GST system cuts tax on smaller cars to 18 per cent, trims luxury cars and SUVs to 40 per cent, making high-end vehicles slightly cheaper

Auto stocks rally on GST 2.0; Emkay sees M&M, Maruti as top beneficiaries

Auto stocks surged after the GST Council slashed tax rates across the automobile sector. Analysts at Emkay Global pick M&M, Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp as top auto stocks to buy

GST revamp may trim revenue but fiscal impact limited, says BofA Securities

GST Council approves two-slab system from September 22; BofA Securities says impact on GDP and government finances will be small, while consumption may get a boost

GST on lifesaving drugs reduced to nil: Check full list of tax on medicines

GST Council meet outcome: GST on various medical apparatus and devices used for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary usage has been reduced to 5% from 12%

GST relief aids insurers; HDFC Life, Star Health among winners, says JM Fin

While the market was anticipating a cut in GST rates for term and health policies, analysts at JM Financial said, the exemption on savings-oriented life products came as a positive surprise.

Farm machinery, tractors, fertilisers now attract 5% GST: Check full list

GST Council meet: GST on farm machinery, tractors, fertilisers and other agri items cut to 5 per cent from higher rates, giving relief to farmers

GST Council clears 2-slab system: Full list of items under 5% and nil rates

Under the two-slab system, the GST Council has scrapping 12 per cent and 28 per cent rates. Now, essential items like food, medicines, and books fall under zero and 5 per cent rates