GST discussion paper may be damp squib

The much-awaited discussion paper on the goods and services tax (GST),due to be released next month,is likely to be a damp squib. The discussion paper is not likely to contain important issues like tax base and tax rates of GST,official sources told The Indian Express. Also,issues like the goods to be included in the exempted list and lower rate list is also not likely to be addressed in the discussion paper.

“The discussion paper would contain a macro picture of how the GST would be implemented and a broad view on issues like inter state movement of goods,” the sources said.

Rates and tax base are the issues which would be decided at the end of the entire GST discussion because rates can not be decided without the tax base and deciding on tax base is a difficult tax at present with states not able to form consensus on the lists,the sources added. The GST is a new indirect tax regime which proposes to provide a unified market.