Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has sought inputs from the industry on the proposed Goods & Services Tax (GST) and has said all concerns would be taken on board.
“Businesses should interact with government. We need inputs from industry on GST. Tell us your concerns. Our government is responsive,” Sitharaman said speaking at an event organised by industry body CII on Thursday.
Several sectors such as IT & ITeS, financial services, plantation, e-commerce, and the renewable energy sectors have expressed their apprehensions over various aspects of the GST bill. These include complex billing and invoicing requirements, lack of clarity on continuation of exemption from State levies and increase in total taxes.
On the government’s efforts to improve ease of doing business in the country, Sitharaman said 12 states had complied with as much as 75 per cent of `ease of doing business’ targets. “Businesses can be sure that while regulatory content from the government’s side would improve, there would be no increase in regulatory intensity,” she said.