GST revenue collections ‘technically exceed’ target...!!

 About ₹92,283 crore came in from 64.4% of taxpayers

Revenue collections from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) ‘technically exceeded’ the government’s target in its first month, with as much as ₹92,283 crore flowing to the exchequer from just 64.4% of taxpayers who were eligible to pay taxes in July and had filed returns by Tuesday morning, Finance Minister said.

“Not many had thought the red line (of adequate revenue following the transition to GST) would be crossed in the first month itself… A more efficient tax system checks evasion,” FM pointed out, before emphasising that if this trend continued for the year, the government would be comfortable on the revenue front.

The last date for filing the first GST returns for July and paying taxes was August 25, while it was August 28 for those who wanted to avail transitional credits.

“If we exclude taxpayers who have registered with the GST Network in August and those who have opted for composition, the total number of tax payers required to file returns for July is 59.57 lakh, of which 38.38 lakh have filed returns,” the finance, corporate affairs and defence minister said.

Total revenue received from GST for July is ₹92,283 crore, with central GST revenue of ₹14,894 crore, State GST receipts of ₹22,722 crore and Integrated GST receipts at ₹47, 469 crore. Cess receipts, including compensation cess from imports, came to ₹7,198 crore.

‘Target of ₹91,000 crore’

When asked if he was satisfied with the inflows from GST, the minister said as per the Budget’s projections for indirect tax revenue, the Centre’s target for July was about ₹48,000 crore and the overall target for States, assuming a 14% annual growth from their 2015-16 revenues, was about ₹43,000 crore. Together, the revenue target was ₹91,000 crore, which has been surpassed.

The minister also said cess collections were to be deducted from the ₹92,283 crore figure as it was earmarked for compensation to States for loss of revenue.

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From Sources:-

A Long Road Ahead : GST..!!

Over 36 lakh businesses have so far filed their first tax returns under the Goods and Services Tax ( GST) regime, a top tax official said on Monday.

Tax collected in the maiden filings under the GST regime, which kicked in from July 1, are still being compiled as the last date for filings under different rules is not yet over, he said. The revenue department had estimated collection of around Rs 65,000 crore from maiden GST, the official said.

The deadline for filing first monthly return and payment of taxes under GST ended on August 25.

However, businesses that availed transitional credit were allowed to file returns till August 28 after paying taxes on a self- assessment basis by August 25.

" At the start of the day today, over 36.32 lakh returns had been filed. Final tax collection numbers would be known once all the returns are in," the official said.

Under GST, businesses are supposed to file monthly sales returns and pay due taxes online. Since this was the maiden return after GST was rolled out on July 1, the government gave companies extra time to file returns and pay taxes.

Central Board of Excise and Customs, chairperson Vanaja Sarna had in her weekly letter to tax officials said the last date for payment of GST for July 2017 was extended up to August 25. But for those taxpayers who want to fill TRAN- I this month, the last date for filing GSTR- 3B is August 28, she had said.

GST Network, the company managing the tax filing apparatus, had uploaded form TRAN- 1 last week on its portal for businesses to claim credit on taxes paid prior to GST rollout on July 1.

Another official said businesses can continue to file returns and pay taxes even after the deadline ends, much like what happens in case of income tax returns and payment.

As per the GST law, any registered person who fails to furnish details of outward or inward supplies or returns required by the due date will have to pay a late fee of Rs 100 for every day during which such failure continues subject to a maximum Rs 5,000. Besides, every person who fails to pay the tax within the period prescribed will be required to pay interest at 18% from the day succeeding the day on which such tax was due to be paid.

While 72 lakh assessees of the old indirect tax regime have migrated to the GST Network portal, nearly 50 lakh have completed the migration process.

Besides, of the 15 lakh fresh registrations, as many as 10 lakh are expected to file returns for July.

Fringe benefits availed by employees liable to GST

The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be applicable on any non-monetary fringe benefit an employee gets from his or her employer, the government said on Monday. Monetary compensation paid to employees is not considered supply and will not attract GST, the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said in the latest round of clarification issued in form of frequently asked questions (FAQ).

The monetary income will, however, continue to attract the relevant income tax. "The compensation to employees in the form of money is not a supply. However, fringe benefits are a supply of goods or services and are liable to tax if not exempted," the CBEC said. The fringe benefits are transactions in furtherance of business. "Even if supplied without consideration, the same are deemed supply" and will attract GST, it said. On rental income, it said GST will not be levied on the rental income of less than Rs 20 lakh in a year. "That said, where the rental income from a single property is less than Rs 20 lakh but the aggregate rental income from various properties exceed Rs 20 lakh, the requirement for registration and GST payment will be there," it said. 

According to the FAQ, no GST is chargeable if free replacement is provided by a business to customers without consideration under warranty.

From Sources:-

FIRST MEETING WITH BOARD AFTER CONVENTION..!!

A much awaited front to front drama was expected after two conventions of AIACEGEO was held at Gandhidham and Chennai on 28.05.2017. The two factions of AIACEGEO alongwith other cadres were invited on 18.08.2017 by the Board. There was no outrage by any of the factions. The Original faction of AIACEGEO headed by A.P. Venkatesh and Ravi Mallick was given much weightage as there were several issues which were already raised by them are in the final stage of redressal. The splinter group maintained a stoic silence expecting an ignition point to burst the volcano created by them but unfortunately such situation has not raised.

AIACEGEO raised the following points: 

Holding of DPC for the years 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The Holding of DPC for the years 2016-17 and 2017-18 was held up as a vested group filed an case in Madras High Court. The Department went on to vacate the stay but did not succeed and plan to appeal to Supreme Court for holding of DPC for the vacant posts. The splinter group is very active and putting their best to create all type of hurdles in this matter. 

Pay scale at par with CBI:

The said issue has been recommended by the Board and pending with the expenditure Ministry.

NFU:

Our officers on batch to batch basis to give financial parity at par with counterparts of CSS, the same has been recommended by the stagnation Committee.

NFTS after 4 years: 

To remove the disparity between PB2 and PB3 after completion of 4 years of service as like Postal Department as recommended in 7^th CPC.

Next promotion to STS: 

As like Home Department, ED and NCB our officers should be promoted to STS posts.

Scheme to improve promotional avenues: 

Various committees were appointed and the Board is always giving a cold approach for our stagnations. It was emphasized to create a scheme to improve our promotional avenues like IRS.

Flexible promotion/Dynamic progression scheme: 

An organisation specific scheme is required for our officers at least to give in-situ promotions to bring at par with other counterparts like CSS, CBDT etc. by giving minimum 5 promotions. 

 Implementation of circular F.No. A-26017/44/94-Ad II (A) Dt.08.03.95 for arrears: 

Jabalpur CAT directed to pay the arrears of pay since 01.01.86 to our Inspectors, if pay commission place our Inspector and CBI Inspector in same pay scale. Both categories were placed under same pay scale by pay commission but the said circular is still to be implemented. Govt also didn't go to appeal against this order. All of then Inspectors have now become Superintendents.

MACP irregularities: 

Uniform promotional hierarchy: 

Merger of Level-9 and 10: 

Finalisation of RRs in view of OA 2323/2012: The Principal bench of CAT has directed to finalise the RRs to bring all three categories (Central Excise Inspector, PO & Examiner) of Inspector cadre of same year of exam at par in the matter of promotion. Time of 4 months given by CAT has already expired. The Chair asked the concerned Director to do the needful.

Upgradation of posts and scales: 

Authorised office bearers of AIACEGEO: It was urged only to entertain authorized office bearers and not to promote self styled office bearers having their own vested interest in the name AIACEGEO. 

Infrastructure & office space: 

The meeting was concluded with a positive note and the true colour of our Board Officials will be known only after the minutes are issued.

It is learnt that after the said meeting, the delegation of AIACEGEO met the Member (Admn.) and discussed the points like transfer of newly promoted ACs to their parent zones and consideration of their transfer requests, online single number GPF account, separate independent meeting to our Association etc. He told that all the transfers of promtee ACs were done in totally systematic manner and their transfer requests will be given due consideration. The issues like MACP benchmark, invitation to other group in the name of AIACEGEO, DPC etc. were again stressed. His response was positive.

The Modification of any order of our officers who are posted outside on promotion will be delayed as the vested group are trying their best not to hold any DPC in one or other pretext. We hope that the Board will find out a way to resolve the issue and order is expected within a month or two. The posting order of various Directorates including Customs formations is expected shortly. As such our cadre is surrounded with several issues and neglected by the Board because of our structural set up and the recent development of our factions aggravate further. No one is least concerned how the Inspector, Superintendent are placed. The basic amenities like Chair, Table, Computers and Connectivity are lacking forget out the supporting staff. The senior officers those who made as incharge of the Commissionerate are busy with their own comforts and place of office at their convenience. Junior officers are subject to all sort of humiliation and frustration. Bifurcation of the Commissionertate to Central Tax and the listing and handing over of the records are forced by the senior officers in a cost cutting method from the lower cadre.

Next we will carry the details of first AEC meeting of AIACEGEO held at Delhi on 19.08.2017 and also the various issues taken with local authorities by CESA, Mumbai.       

Concept of Leadership

Concept of Leadership

          A Great moment for R.T.I., NACEN Bhandup where 52 officers out of batch of 68 IRS officers, have been undergoing training. ADG is Shri Samir Bajaj and D.G. is Shri P.K. Dash. Under their Command a new concept has been moduled in the training syllabus. i.e. “Leadership”. An Eminent sports personality and living legend in sports, Shri Sachin R. Tendulkar, in the first Series was invited who spent more than 3 hours in the session and inspired the probationer sharing his experience.

          Shri Samir Bajaj an officer who worked in E.D. for longer  time &   Shri P. K. Dash also worked in D.R.I have recently taken over the rein of  NACEN, Mumbai & the Directorate had played  very active role in past and currently in G.S.T Training, now inserted inviting celeberty to inspire the probationers of his own cadre at entry level and instil the quality of leadership in them through this module. Nice innovation from academic interest.

          CESA appreciates the efforts and also expects that same vigour and enthusiasm in innovative ideas for the junior officers and hope that these trained Batch of 68 Officers will carry the quality of leadership when they come in the field formation.

      

          To the extent of innovation in training and the requirement of such topics in syllabus it would have been much better that iconic officers like Late Shri Daya Shankarji whose style of functioning, skill, uprightness, dashing, network should have been shown to them. There are several such type of officers in our Department who can live within their salary and still lead from the front with any team and anywhere that is called leadership and not just in absence of their own orchestra people unable to perform.

        CESA appreciates the initiative taken by the Academy to inspire the probationers and hope that the same will perculate to others also.

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5-DAY EXTENSION - Tech snag: GST returns can be filed till Aug 25....

Amid reports of a technical glitch in the Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN), the IT backbone for GST, the government on Saturday extended the last date for filing of returns and payment of taxes by five days to August 25.

The network faced a heavy rush of returns and several traders said they were unable to access the system. GSTN officials said they were working to fix the problem but asserted that that it was not a problem linked to capacity. A finance ministry statement released on Saturday evening said the GST implementation committee, consisting of state and central government officers, has taken a decision to extend the last date for payment of GST for July , to August 25. The ministry also said some technical glitches were also experienced by last minute return filers. “Since it is the first return to be filed under GST, tax payers and tax practitioners have asked for a few more days to file returns. Flood-hit states also want the date extended,“ the statement said.

From Sources:-

SAD DEMISE...

Shri Ajoy Kumar, Superintendent, was presently posted in Audit –III Mumbai at the Lotus Building, Parel. Two months back, he was repatriated from Goa and was staying at Oshiwara Govt. Quarters. Due to continuous fever he was admitted in Sujoy Hospital on 4^th August and was detected to be suffering from Dengue. When he was admitted his platelet count was 85000, which further reduced to 11000. Medication was started and it improved to 21000.  On Wednesday, his Blood Pressure became so low, then he was shifted to the ICU with ventilator support. Thereafter he suffered from internal bleeding and he left us forever on Thursday around 10 AM. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

He was the only bread earner for his entire family who hails from Bhagalpur, Bihar. His aged parents are with him and are dependent on him. He was having three sisters. His elder sister and her children are also dependent upon him. His father’s younger brother, (who recently expired) his family is also dependent on him. His only daughter, Pratyaksha, is studying in the 12^th standard and spouse is a housewife.

Earlier he was posted in LTU as well as Mumbai-I and other places. Wherever he has worked, he was appreciated by his colleagues and superiors. He was under a lot of stress due to his financial condition as well as responsibilities from all sides and the new tax regime...

In Oshiwara, we are having two residential buildings as quarters, with around 60 flats, and as expected, these are poorly maintained by the Department. On Friday, all the lady officers who are residing there, took out a morcha to BMC  office and lodged their protest. The surroundings of the building are mosquito infested and several individuals are suspected to have contracted Dengue. BMC staff have visited the site and taken samples.

Cremation was held on Friday. No senior officers of the Department paid any visit to the family, who are facing both financial & emotional crisis. 
CESA, Mumbai prays to the Almighty, to let the departed soul Rest in Peace and give courage to the family members to face the trying circumstances. CESA, Mumbai extends all its support to the family members in all aspects.

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Salute to Legendary Leader...

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