The 53rd GST Council meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, brought several important updates aimed at simplifying GST compliance and reducing the tax burden for businesses. Here's a detailed and easy-to-understand summary of the key changes that matter to you:
Changes in GST Rates
Goods:
- Aircraft Parts and Tools: Now taxed at 5% on imports to promote local aircraft maintenance and repair.
- Milk Cans: Taxed at 12% for steel, iron, and aluminum milk cans.
- Paperboard Boxes: GST reduced from 18% to 12%.
- Solar Cookers and Sprinklers: Uniformly taxed at 12%.
- Defense and Research Imports: No IGST on imports for defense and research purposes until June 30, 2029.
- SEZ Imports: No additional Compensation Cess on imports to Special Economic Zones (SEZs) since July 1, 2017.
- Unit Run Canteens: Special tax exemptions for defense-related canteens.
Services:
- Railway Services: Certain public and inter-railway services are tax-exempt.
- Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs): Tax exemptions for services provided to Indian Railways.
- Accommodation Services: Rentals up to ₹20,000 per month are tax-exempt under specific conditions.
- Insurance Services: Clarified rules and some tax exemptions for insurance services.
Measures to Ease Compliance
Waiving Interest and Penalties:
- Pay taxes for FY 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 by March 31, 2025, and avoid extra interest and penalties.
Reducing Legal Disputes:
- GST Appellate Tribunal will only handle disputes over ₹20 lakhs.
- High Courts will handle disputes over ₹1 crore.
- The Supreme Court will handle disputes over ₹2 crores.
Lower Pre-Deposit for Appeals:
- Reduced pre-deposit amounts for filing appeals to ease the financial burden.
Extended ITC Deadlines:
- Deadline to claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) for specific fiscal years extended to November 30, 2021.
New Filing Deadlines:
- Composition taxpayers can now file returns by June 30 instead of April 30.
Interest on Delayed Returns:
- No interest charged if the due amount is available in the Electronic Cash Ledger on the due date.
Other Important Updates
Anti-Profiteering:
- New applications for anti-profiteering cases can only be made until April 1, 2025.
Refund Mechanism:
- Clear process for refunding extra IGST paid due to price changes after exporting goods.
Trade Clarifications:
- Clear guidelines to help reduce disputes and simplify compliance.
Aadhaar Authentication:
- Biometric-based Aadhaar verification for GST registration to prevent fraud.
These updates aim to make GST compliance easier, reduce disputes, and clarify tax rules, providing smoother business operations for all taxpayers. Stay informed and take advantage of these changes to ensure compliance and benefit from the new provisions.
