India on the threshold of change with GST regime: Customs chief

MANGALURU: India is on the threshold of change which is momentous, noted R B Tiwari, chief commissioner of customs, Bengaluru zone. Inaugurating the workshop on Goods and Services Tax organized by the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics, Bengaluru in association with Commissionerates of Central Excise, Service Tax and Customs here on Friday, he assured stakeholders that the concerns of trade and industry will be addressed to ensure smooth transition.
The GST regime which is on the way to being implemented will mark a paradigm shift in the manner of levy and collection of indirect taxes in India and is a watershed moment in annals of tax reform.
For the benefit of trade and industry, officers and other stakeholders and to sensitize and better understand the proposed model law and procedures, the academy is conducting such workshops for stakeholders across the country, he said seeking their cooperation.
S Rajkumar, chief commissioner of central excise, Mysuru zone, in his key note address stressed that India will witness the biggest tax reforms of independent India, that a new era of indirect taxation is around the corner and that the officers are capable of handling it effectively. M Vinod Kumar, chief commissioner of Central Excise and Service Tax, Bengaluru, gave a detailed overview of the GST, structure of GST regime and the road map ahead for all stakeholders.
D P Nagendra Kumar, principal additional director general, DGCEI, Bengaluru, explained the various provisions of the model GST law and implementation of the new GST law.
The workshop was conducted on an interactive basis where various questions of participants were answered and clarifications were provided.
M Subramanyam, commissioner of central excise and service tax, Mangaluru, in his welcome address highlighted the proposed tax reforms as a real game changer for expanding tax base, mobilising resources for the national exchequer and also for minimising regional disparities since it enables predominantly consumer states to raise resources for their developmental activities.
Pradip Suman, additional director, NACEN, proposed the vote of thanks.