What is GST council?
The GST Council is a joint forum of the Centre and the states under Article 279-A of the constitution.
Article 279-A gives the President the authority to appoint a GST Council by executive order.
As per Article 279, it is meant to “make recommendations to the Union and the states on important issues related to GST, like the goods and services that may be subjected or exempted from GST, model GST Laws”.
It also decides on various rate slabs of GST.
What is GST council?
The members of the Council include:
Union Finance Minister (chairperson).
Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance
Finance Minister of State from various states.
The Council members from the states have to choose one member amongst themselves who would become the Vice-Chairperson of the GST Council. They have also the power to decide his term.
GST Council has 33 members, out of which 2 members are from the center and 31 members are from 3 Union territories and 28 states with legislation.
What is GST council?
Chairperson of the CBEC (Central Board of Excise and Customs) as a permanent invitee (Non-Voting) to all the proceedings.
Functions of GST Council
The function of the GST Council is to make recommendations to the States and Unions on the following matter:
The cesses, taxes, and surcharges levied by the States and Union and the local bodies which are under the Goods and Services Tax
Any special rates for a certain period to raise additional resources during any natural disaster or calamity.
Functions of GST Council
Model GST laws, Principles of the levy, apportionment of Goods and Services Tax levied on supplies in the course of commerce or Inter-state trade under article 269A, and the principles that control the place of supply.
The goods and services that may be exempted or subjected to the Goods and Services tax.
The threshold limit of turnover below which the services and goods may be exempted from GST.
The rates include the floor rates with the bands of Goods and Service Tax.
Functions of GST Council
Special provision with respect to the states– Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Assam Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Additionally, the GST Council has the power to recommend the date on which the GST may be levied on petrol, high-speed diesel, petroleum crude, aviation turbine fuel, and natural gas.
Furthermore, the GST Council has to recommend compensation to the states for the loss of revenue due to the introduction of GST.
New tax rates
GST Council, in its 50th meeting, decided to levy a uniform 28 per cent tax on full face value for online gaming, casinos and horse-racing.
Reduced the tax rate on some items ranging from uncooked or unfried snack pellets to special utility vehicles (SUVs)
Exempted imported drugs to treat cancer and rare diseases.
Food and beverages consumed in cinema halls will attract a GST of 5 per cent, equivalent to the levy charged in hotels and restaurants, instead of 18 per cent which was being charged by many cinema halls for composite food packages.
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