Industries Minister participates 49th GST council meeting in New Delhi
Industries Minister, Harshwardhan Chauhan while participating in the 49th GST Council meeting in New Delhi raised very important issues pertaining to the state. While highlighting the issue of increase in inputs used by Apple growers of the State he demanded that the GST rate on apple carton boxes be reduced to 5% from the present 18%. He stated that the burden of GST on apple carton boxes is borne by the apple growers and reduction of GST on these will reduce their input cost considerably.
He also raised the issue of loss of GST on vehicle purchases when residents of the state purchase them in the adjoining states. He stated that the GST on these purchases must come to the state as these vehicles are registered by the residents of the state back home. He told the Council that the tax pertaining to such purchases must flow to the consuming state as per the core principle of GST.
The GST Council, with the active participation of the Minister, decided on many contentious issues. The matter with regards to establishing the GST tribunal was deliberated by the Council. The non- establishment of GST Tribunals has been causing difficulty for tax pares as they have to directly approach the High Court against the decision of appellate authority in the absence of a GST tribunal. Today’s discussions pave the way for establishing the GST Tribunal in Shimla in near future.
