BHUBANESWAR: For seamless transition to Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is scheduled to be rolled out on July 1, the Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax, Bhubaneswar will hold an outreach programme in the city.
At least 1,000 stakeholders from trade and commerce associations, indirect tax payers and financial experts would attend the programme here on Friday.
On the occasion, Union Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia will moderate a training-cum-orientation workshop. Besides, State Finance Minister Sashi Bhushan Behera will chair a session, said Rakesh Sharma, Chief Commissioner of Central Excise and Customs at a press briefing here on Wednesday.
"Around 32 per cent of VAT dealers across the country and 28 per cent in Odisha have migrated to GST.The Finance and Revenue Ministries of the Union and State Governments are working in tandem to ensure that the transition to the GST is smooth and hassle-free,’’ Sharma said.
Over 85 per cent tax payers on the Central Taxes platform have shifted to GST. Of them, 1700 come under Central Excise while more than 17,000 are under the Service Tax bracket.
Commercial Taxes Commissioner Saswata Mishra said out of 1.80 lakh VAT dealers in Odisha, more than 93,000 have migrated to GST. "About 55 per cent of VAT dealers have applied and already received an Application Reference Number (ARN). They will be issued a provisional ID using which the dealers can operate on GST network,’’ Mishra said.
While the Centre has clarified that States do not need to get Presidential nod for implementation of GST, the Odisha GST Bill is likely to be sent for Governor SC Jamir’s assent in a couple of days. By next week, the Bill, which has already been passed in the State Assembly, will become an Act, sources in Commercial Taxes Department said.
The programme is a part of outreach programmes conducted by the Centre across all States. Trade and Commerce organisations like FICCI, CII and Utkal Chambers of Commerce will also participate, said Ashok Mahida, Additional Commissioner of Central Excise.