New GoM Aims to Resolve GST-Related IT Challenges

On 12 September 2017, the Union Finance Ministry constituted the Group of Ministers (GoM) to track and solve IT-related challenges in relation to Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation.

On 12 July 2019, the said Office Memorandum (OM) has been modified partially. The Group of Ministers (GoM) will now comprise several officials under the convenorship of Sushil Kumar Modi, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

The officials included are Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister for Finance & Planning, Government of Maharashtra; Himanta Biswa Sarma, Government of Assam; Bandeppa Kashempur, Minister for Co-operation, Government of Karnataka; Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Minister for Finance, Planning and Legislative Affairs, Government of Andhra Pradesh; and Captain Abhimanyu, Minister for Department of Excise & Taxation, Government of Haryana.

Also Read: 36th GST Council Meet Date Announced, to be Held on 25 July 2019

GoM will receive additional assistance from Prakash Kumar (CEO, Goods and Services Tax Network).

GoM will be focussing on the following IT challenges (not limited to):

• Exporters faced technical difficulties in the process of filing their refund claim forms.
• Businesses had to collect and report transaction-wise details via the electronic portal. Large-sized companies felt that the entire process was quite a tedious task since they had to report a relatively larger number of invoices.
• Users faced other IT-related issues such as:
  • Poor availability of the GSTN system.
  • Non-availability of specific forms and formats (bank guarantees for exporters and Letter of Undertaking).
  • Delay in the processing of refunds in relation to GST paid.
  • Transitional problems that still persist in carrying over of ITC from the old VAT/CENVAT systems.

The GST Council and the government are undertaking several other measures to address GST-related concerns on priority. Also, initiatives are being planned to make the present return filing system robust and functional. The committee aims to build scalable IT infrastructure so that the transition to the new GST return is smooth and hassle-free.