While there is no unanimity over rolling out the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April 1, 2017, the Union Government, not taking chances, has urged the Odisha Government to ensure requisite information technology (IT) infrastructure for the State accounting authorities in a time-bound manner.
Union Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia has asked the State Government to prepare IT infrastructure of the State accounting authorities as this is an important stakeholder of the GST, which Government of India intends to roll out from next fiscal.
As the country goes for GST, there would be a Goods & Service Tax Network (GSTN) in which the Reserve Bank of India, the banks and the Central and State accounting authorities would
be connected for successful roll out of the GST, Dr Adhia has said.
The RBI, the banks and the GSTN would provide daily information to the State accounting authorities and, accordingly, a roadmap has been chalked out with a rigid timeframe, said sources.
After receiving the information, the State administration should prepare accounts accordingly. So, laying out IT infrastructure is crucial, Dr Adhia said.
Information interchange between all stakeholders would be held from January 15 on a continuously
basis. Adhia is in touch with the State Government for the purpose, said sources.
Sources said the State Department of Finance has taken up the matter seriously and the department’s Principal Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey is in
touch with the officials
both at the Centre and State levels.
While the Odisha Government is supporting the GST, it has urged the Union Government to look into several critical issues before rolling it out, said the sources.
However, now with various States and the Centre in a deadlock over the important provisions of the GST
Bill, the April 1 deadline for rollout of the tax is likely to be missed.