JOIN USState Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Ajay Seth has said that Karnataka will introduce the Goods and Service tax (GST) in 2015.
All the political parties and state governments have agreed to implement it in their respective states, he said while speaking on the topic ‘e-governance initiatives: Recent developments under Karnataka Vat act’ organised by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in association with Mangalore branch of Southern Indian Regional Council (SIRC) of Institute of Chartered Accountants in India (ICAI).
GST, one of the biggest taxation reforms in India will replace all indirect taxes levied on goods and services by the Union and state governments.
It aims at bringing a comprehensive tax solution for most goods and services, he said.
The Commissioner said that 132 help-desks were being set up in local vat offices across the state to help dealers to upload their tax details through electronic modem.
The dealer whose turnover is Rs 50 lakh or above should mandatorily submit tax details electronically through the special software set up for this. Later on, the turnover slab will be lowered to Rs 25 lakh, Seth said.
Currently, 10,000 odd dealers in Karnataka are submitting tax details electronically. But the same in Kerala and Tamil Nadu is close to two lakh, he said.
Seth added that the department is technologically gearing up to switch on to the GST, once it is implemented.
Target
Speaking on the tax target set by commercial tax department in the current fiscal, Seth said the target is Rs 42,000 crore.
In 2013-14 fiscal, Rs 37,000 crore was set as target wherein Rs 36,773 crore has been achieved.
Stressing the department’s thrust on easing the taxation process, the Commissioner said that only 10 per cent of the tax payers are tax evaders.
“The government has adopted an idea of simplifying the process as far as possible. This would turn the tax evaders to adhere to law rather than putting themselves into trouble," Seth clarified.