GSt Boon or bane for Commonman?

The government brought Goods and Services Tax (GST) with the good intention of minimising cumbersome formalities and thereby bring down the burden of taxes on the common man. In this process tax on some goods and services have come down and on some other it went up.Mostly essential items of daily usage got some reduction. The overall tax collection for government has to be maintained unaffected much. This is common sense. Already 3 months passed but the GST entry is confusing the business people as well common buyers.

Some Businessmen are claiming tax on those items where it is not necessary and collecting more tax than that is prescribed for some other. Even on MRP sticker items, some are demanding more,where it is not allowed. IT is advantageous for merchants to collect more where a little bit of dilemma exists. When taxes come down the rates must come down -This is sheer common logic.This is also practically visible.

So many essential are exempted from tax and many others are in the list of 5 % range.In practice recently they are collecting 12 % to 18 % tax on so many items without bothering about the details. Rice ,dals which are not branded is exempted from tax. oils , soaps,pastes are in tax reduced group .Under Such circumstances an ordinary family expenses may have to get a benefit of atleast Rs 100 every month but in reality, people are spending nearly Rs 100 more due to anomalies. Whatever unregistered name there it is dubbed as branded and 5 % tax is collected.

If people ask for bill the businessmen are claiming tax on it .Even supermarkets in cities are not printing details of GST on items.Yearly Rs 20 lakh turnover doesnt require GST registration. At present those with Rs 1 crore turnover under composition scheme have to pay 1 % tax.central Government assured that there will be no tax raids and it had became an advantage .However, merchants claim that if GST number is not there for them, they are facing trouble and hence increased rates.