PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday urged Goan industry to stop fearing the unfolding GST regime as the teething problems would most probably not be as significant as imagined.
He said that local businesses are nervous about GST regime and fear for difficulty in measuring up to the tax. But in the early days they are not likely to experience any difference in the method of working as the first interaction with GST Network will only be in August 10.
“Let GST kick in and we will worry about it,” said the Chief Minister on the eve of GST rollout at a GSIA function.
Speaking yet another function, Parrikar said that he will be personally monitoring the situation in Goa in its transition to the GST regime.
He explained at the GSIA event that meticulous planning has gone into the introduction of the new tax regime, and the government is well-prepared for the rollout.
The state department has constituted multiple teams of chartered accountants who will be stationed at all sales tax office for assistance in filing GST returns.
The Chief Minister asked businesspeople to welcome GST as an essential tax reform, adding that “the industry has a lot of fears about it but they need to face up to the fear and accept it without nervousness.”
The Chief Minister was speaking to the local businesspeople at the annual general meeting of the Goa Small Industries Association at the Taleigao community hall.
To industry’s requests of “surgical strikes” against the GIDC to rid it of red-tape and officialdom, the Chief Minister, who is also holds industry portfolio, promised results soon.
He said that work on the new Mandovi and Zuari bridges had slowed down considerably during the two years of his absence.
“Work on all the infrastructure projects had slowed down due to bottlenecks. But after taking over we have reduced 100 bottlenecks in infrastructure projects to seven-eight bottlenecks,” he said.
The Chief Minister attended two industry events back-to-back during the evening as after the GSIA function he made a quick departure to an ASSOCHAM event.
There were several complaints by GSIA members on poor infrastructure in industrial estates. Parrikar asked the industry to list out all problems and submit it to government.
At the ASSOCHAM function, Parrikar said that Goa is going to benefit under the GST regime.
“From midnight, Goa will be without any borders with its neighbours in terms of trade,” Parrikar said.
