Goods and Services Tax (GST) is India's biggest indirect tax reform in decades.

GST will integrate India into one common market by removing the various tax and fiscal barriers between the states. Goods and Services Tax (GST), as the name suggests will be tax levied on goods and services during the point of sale or rendering of service. GST will be applicable for all goods and services, expect the exempted class of goods and service. Having passed various stages, the GST regime in India is now set to roll out from 1st July, 2017.

Levy of GST

Both the Central Government and State Governments would simultaneously levy GST across the value chain. GST levied and collected by the Central Government would be Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) and the State Governments would levy and collect (SGST) on transactions within the State.

Under GST, both the IGST and CGST would become payable at the "time of supply", as defined in the GST Law. In terms of goods, time of supply would be on removal of goods or receipt of payment or issuance of invoice or date on which the buyer shows receipt of goods. For services, time of supply is on issuance of invoice or receipt of payment or date on which recipient shows receipt of services.

Goods under GST

Section 2(49) of the model law on GST defines goods as every kind of movable property other than money and securities but includes actionable claim, growing crops, grass and things attached to or forming part of the land which are agreed to be severed before supply or under the contract of supply. Hence, as per the definition, goods would include movable property, actionable claim, growing crops/grass, things attached to land or forming part of land, materials, commodities and articles. Goods as defined by GST Model Law does not however include money, securities, immovable property and land.

GST Network

GST is backed by a robust Information Technology (IT) infrastructure for registration of taxpayers, processing of GST returns, managing GST remittances, refunds, auditing and levy of penalty. The Information Technology infrastructure behind GST, is controlled by the GSTN or GST Network, a Section 8 Company (not-for-profit company) promoted by Central Government, State Governments and other non-Government Institutions. The Government of India holds 24.5% stake in the GSTN, while state Governments combined hold 24.5% state and the balance 51% is held by Non-Government Institutions. Thus, GSTN will act like a clearing house that is self-sustaining through levey of charges on taxpayers and tax authorities using the GST Network.

Services under GST

According to the Model Law on GST, Section 2(92) defines services as "anything other than goods". Hence, anything or any activity would fall under the GST tax coverage, and anything not defined as a goods will be defined as a service. Further, as per GST Law, service is defined as any activity relating to use of money or its conversion by cash or any other mode, from one form, currency or denomination to another form, currency or denomination, for which a separate consideration is charged. However, though services include transactions in money, it does not include money and securities.