NEW DELHI: The Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) officers’ association wants the centre to firmly control service tax assessees under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) having a turnover of less than 1.5 crore. This concern has been raised after a few states like Tamil Nadu demanded control over them.
letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, they apprehended a rise in black money and tax evasion if states are given control over such assesses.
Other than West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Delhi and Odisha, commercial tax officers all over the country working under the state government’s jurisdiction have supported demands for controlling service tax payers having lesser turnover than 1.5 crore.
The move towards GST is aimed at simplifying the tax structure, widening the tax base, reducing tax-evasion and incentivising the honest tax payers. It is supposed to be a win-win situation for all the stakeholders including the taxpayers, Central and state government.
The association representing 2000 IRS officers said that the very root and premise of the GST is in conflict with the proposal of state governments controlling assesses with a revenue turnover of less than 1.5 crore. Tax evasion will become rampant and there will be chaos and confusion amongst assesses due to different interpretations of issues.
The letter also states the despair and anguish of the 200 young IRSÂ officers who were recruited every year since 2008 to implement GST.
The Indian Express, 22nd November 2016
