18 sectoral groups constituted for smooth GST roll-out

New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has constituted 18 sectoral groups like telecom, textiles, gems and jewellery, e-commerce and mining, constituting officers both from the Centre and states to address sector-specific issues and assist in smooth roll-out of the new indirect tax regime from July 1.

The constitution of the 18 sectoral groups was decided in the 14th meeting of the GST Council held on May 18-19 in Srinagar.

"These 18 sectoral groups representing various sectors of the economy and containing senior officers of the Centre and the states are being set up to ensure smooth implementation of GST by timely responding to the issues and problems of their respective sectors," the Finance Ministry said here in a statement on Friday.

These groups will interact and examine representations received from trade and industry associations/bodies of their respective sector, highlight specific issues for the smooth transition to the GST regime and prepare sector-specific draft guidance.

The other sectoral groups are banking, financial and insurance, exports (including export oriented units and special economic zones), information technology and information technology enabled services, transport and logistics, micro small and medium enterprises (including job work), oil and gas (upstream and downstream), services received and provided by government, food processing, big infrastructure (airport and sea ports including maintenance, repair and overhaul, power sector, housing and construction), travel and tourism, handicrafts, media and entertainment and drugs and pharmaceuticals.

The officials of these sectoral groups will deal with the issues and the problems of the respective sectors they represent.

The concerned industry groups/associations or even individual industry representatives may approach the respective sectoral group officers with their problems, if any, relating to GST implementation who, in turn, will try to guide and help them in resolving the same, it said.

"This exercise will help in dealing with most of the sectoral problems and issues at the local/regional level," the statement said.

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