The document provides details about the Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework and rates that have been fixed in India. It discusses the four tax slabs of 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28% for goods and services. It also lists the tax rates for over 1,200 items under the different slabs. The GST is aimed at streamlining India's indirect tax system and is expected to boost revenues. [/SUMMARY]

1. The GST—A Brief Outline
The GST Council, the apex decision-making body for the new tax, has fixed the tax framework under the
Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is scheduled to be rolled out on July 1, 2017. GST is a consumption-
based tax levied on goods and services and is aimed at bringing uniform indirect taxation regime
throughout the country. The GST Act allows four tax slabs — 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% for goods and
services.
The new tax regime will unify India’s economy into a common market, eliminating a series of central and
state levies, and is expected to shore up state and federal tax revenues. The GST will be a national sales tax
that will be levied on consumption of goods or use of services. It will replace 16 current levies including
seven central taxes like excise duty and service tax, and nine state taxes like VAT and entertainment tax.
Tax rates have been finalised for 1,211 items with about 81% of items being kept under the 18% slab. The
rates have been decided such that There will be no increase in the tax incidence on any commodity, while
in many cases, there is a reduction in the rates compared to that under the present system. However, the
actual process of transition and finer prints will go a long way in determining whether GST is tax neutral or
tax adverse for sectors like financial services and real estate.

2. The rates decided on
Goods
Nil
food grains, fresh meat, fish chicken, eggs, milk, butter milk, curd, natural honey, fresh fruits and vegetables, flour, besan,
bread, prasad, salt, stamps, judicial papers, printed books, newspapers, bangles, bindi.sindoor, handloom etc.
 5%
edible oil, fish fillet, cream, skimmed milk powder, branded paneer, frozen vegetables, coffee, tea, sugar, spices, pizza
bread, rusk, sabudana, kerosene, coal, medicines, gold ,stents, lifeboats etc.
 12%
frozen meat products , butter, cheese, ghee, dry fruits in packaged form, animal fat, sausage, fruit juices, bhujia, namkeen,
ayurvedic medicines, tooth powder, agarbatti, colouring books, picture books, umbrella, sewing machine, and cell phones
etc.
 18%
industrial intermediates and capital goods, most manufactured goods, toilet soaps, tooth paste, hair oil, flavoured refined
sugar, pasta, cornflakes, pastries and cakes, preserved vegetables, jams, sauces, soups, ice cream, instant food mixes, mineral
water, tissues, envelopes, tampons, note books, steel products, printed circuits, camera, speakers and monitors etc.
 28%
aerated beverages, chewing gum, molasses, chocolate not containing cocoa, waffles and wafers coated with chocolate, pan
masala, paint, deodorants, shaving creams, after shave, hair shampoo, dye, sunscreen, wallpaper, ceramic tiles, ACs,
refrigerators, water heater, dishwasher, weighing machine, washing machine, ATM, vending machines, vacuum cleaner,
shavers, hair clippers, automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft for personal use, and yachts etc.
GST on coal has been brought down to 5% from the current tax incidence of 11.69%, thereby making electricity generation cheaper.
Luxury cars will be taxed at 28% GST plus a cess of 15%, while small petrol cars will be taxed at 28% GST plus a 1% cess and small
diesel cars at 28% plus 3% cess.

3. Services
 Nil (Exempt)
Services including health, education, select government services, renting of residential dwelling for use as residence,
budget hotels charging less than Rs1,000 a day and services given to international bodies like the UN.
Services provided by the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) , the company that provides the IT infrastructure to
union and state governments and union territories for the new indirect tax regime. That takes the total number of services
out of GST to 83.
 5% with No ITC
Services of goods transport agency (GTA) in relation to transportation of goods [including used household goods for
personal use]; Renting of motorcab ; Transport of passengers, by- (i) Air conditioned contract/stage carriage other than
motorcab; (ii) a radio taxi; Supply of tour operators’ services;
5% with ITC of input services
Transport of goods and passengers by rail (other than sleeper class); transportation of goods by a vessel from a place
outside India up to the customs station of clearance in India; Transport of passengers by air in economy class; Leasing
of aircrafts by a scheduled airlines for scheduled operations;
5% with Full ITC
Selling of space for advertisement in print media; services by way of job work in relation to printing of newspapers.
 12% with Full ITC
Transport of goods in containers by rail by any person other than Indian Railways; transport of passengers by air in other
than economy class; supply of Food/drinks in restaurant not having facility of air-conditioning or central heating at any
time during the year and not having licence to serve liquor; renting of hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other
commercial places meant for residential or lodging purposes having room tariff Rs.1000 and above but less than Rs.2500
per room per day; construction of a complex, building, civil structure or a part thereof, intended for sale to a buyer,
wholly or partly; Temporary transfer or permitting the use or enjoyment of any Intellectual Property (IP) or permanent
transfer of IP.

4. 18% with Full ITC
Supply of Food/drinks in restaurants having air-conditioning or licence to serve liquor or in outdoor
catering; Renting of hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other commercial places meant for
residential or lodging purposes where room tariff of Rs 2500/ and above but less than Rs 5000/- per room
per day; admission or access to circus, Indian classical dance including folk dance, theatrical
performance, drama; Composite supply of Works contracts; and All other services not specified
elsewhere.
28% with Full ITC
Services by way of admission to entertainment events or access to amusement facilities including
exhibition of cinematograph films, theme parks, water parks, joy rides, merry-go rounds, go-carting,
casinos, race-course, ballet, any sporting event such as IPL and the like; Services provided by a race club
by way of totalisator or a licensed bookmaker in such club; Gambling; Supply of Food/drinks in air-
conditioned restaurant in 5-star or above rated Hotel; Accommodation in hotels including 5 star and
above rated hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other commercial places meant for residential
or lodging purposes, where room rent is Rs 5000/- and above per night per room.
The Commercial Tax Department has chalked out a strategy to inform traders about GST implementation
and to generate awareness about the laws and by-laws and other GST provisions. All the work on the
transition would be performed on-line as per the GST provision. The DSC (Digital Singnature), Aadhar
based e-sign, ARN(Applied Reference Number) are mandatory for all the businessmen. Besides, it is also
mandatory to produce tax return of last six months for input tax credit at stock as per the provision of
prevalent system. The enrolment process for migrating existing taxpayers to the proposed tax regime
through GST common portal have already commenced through the GST Network, which provides the
entire technological support to the GST.

5. Revision
In a major realignment exercise for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) the Ministry of Finance has shifted 178 items
from the top bracket of 28 percent to 18 percent, and introduced changes in GST returns filing to ease the both
financial and compliance burden of taxpayers.
The Council at its 23rd meeting in early November reduced the tax rate on over 200 items: As many as 178 items of
daily use were shifted from the top tax bracket of 28 per cent to 18 per cent. After these changes, only 50 items
will attract GST rate of 28 per cent. Tax on two items was cut from 28 per cent to 12 per cent while on six items
was reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. On eight items, tax was reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent and
on six items from 5 per cent to nil.
Harmful goods like pan masala, aerated water and beverages, cigars and cigarettes, tobacco products; luxury goods
like perfumes, ACs, dish washing machines, washing machines, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, cars and two-
wheelers, aircraft and yacht; and cement, paints are still in highest tax bracket.
All restaurants will now be levied GST at 5 per cent, without input tax credit (ITC) benefits. However five-star
restaurants within starred-hotels with room rent above Rs. 7,500 will attract 18 per cent and can still avail ITC
benefits, while, outdoor catering will attract 18 per cent GST with ITC benefits.
To ease compliance burden, the council relaxed the return filing criteria and also lowered the penalties for late filing.

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10. Global Economy — Economic Indicators
11. Global Economy — Stock Indices
12. Global Economy — Commodity Indices
Special Feature —Highlights of the Union
Budget 2016-17
5. Indian Economy — Exchange Rates
6. Indian Economy — Interest Rates
7. Indian Economy — Stock Markets
8. Indian Economy — Capital Flows
9. Indian Economy — Commodity Markets
Table of Contents
1. Key Rates to Remember
2. Indian Economy — Growth Indicators
3. Indian Economy — Price Indicators
4. Indian Economy — Banking Indicators