Bhatkal: A one day seminar on 'GST tax policy' was organised by the Bhatkal Taluk Merchant Association to educate the people on this new tax system, which was held at Rabita Hall, Bhatkal on 5th July, Wednesday.
About 500 participants from in and around Bhatkal attended the session, wherein the concept of reverse charge mechanism and different tax rates that will apply to several goods and services were explained by various resource personnel.
Under the ‘one nation, one tax’ concept, GST was launched at the parliament in Delhi at midnight of 30th June, Friday. The new tax policy has brought down the prices of some essential commodities such as food grains, vegetables, flour, jaggery, milk, curd, honey and other items including education and health services.
Regarding the new GST Tax policy, both the merchants as well as consumers were in confusion and for this purpose, to educate them, this seminar was organised. Another reason for organizing the seminar was that the traders should not fall prey to rumours about GST.
Dharwad Joint Commissioner S Gond Rao addressed the people saying, “GST will be a game changing reform for the Indian economy by creating a common Indian market and by reducing the cascading effect of tax on the cost of goods and services.”
Assistant Commissioner of Kumta Bharatesh Kumar said, “The GST will play a major role in the progress of trade and industry and the Department of Central Excise and Service Tax is going all out to explain its salient features and benefits to the trading community and industrialists by organising out-reach programmes.”
Joint Commissioner of Dharwad Ramesh Kumar, Civil tax officer from Honnavar Muhammed Shareef L, and also others addressed the people present in the seminar.