The Indian Government implemented GST under the motto “one nation, one market, one tax” on July 1, 2017. Through this action, a single indirect tax system now applies to 1.3 million people in our country.
We shall examine the practical effects of the GST on our country in this blog.
Impact of GST on our Economy
We must comprehend who and what comes under GST to understand how it has affected the Indian economy. We will also talk about GST’s varied effects.
In India, GST applies to each stage of the production and sale of products and services. The GST has three subcategories:
The Central Government collects CGST on interstate sales of goods and services.
What is CGST? CGST stands for Central Goods and Services Tax.
The State Government collects SGST (State Goods and Services Tax) on intrastate sales.
When goods and services move from one state to another, they attract IGST (Integrated Goods and Services Tax). Each of the Central and State Governments receives a portion of the collected taxes.
Let’s explore the effects of GST on the Indian economy using this simple idea:
Simpler tax structure
Our nation’s tax system is now simpler, thanks to the GST. Since there is only one tax, calculations are easier now. With the help of this tax, consumers can easily understand how much tax they must pay when buying particular goods. When thinking about GST and how it impacts the GDP, this is essential.
More funds for production
The decrease in the overall amount taxable has been one of the effects of GST on the Indian economy. Producers can invest this saved money in the production processes to increase production.
Support for small and medium enterprises
If you have registered under the Composition Scheme established by GST, the amount of GST depends on the yearly turnover of your company and the size of your business. The scheme offers the following benefits:
- Reduced compliance and paperwork
- Lower tax liability
- Higher liquidity as taxes are low
Increased volume of export
The customs duty on exporting goods has decreased when taking GST and its effect on the Indian economy into account. Therefore, production facilities are now more cost-effective when producing and transporting goods. As a result of the two-way savings, more industrial facilities are exporting their products.
Enhanced operations throughout India
Transporting goods across India is now simple, thanks to a uniform taxation structure, which has improved operations all over the nation.
No more cascading effect
State and federal taxes have merged into one with the introduction of GST. As a result, the burden on the buyer and seller has decreased due to the elimination of the cascading effect of taxes. Although it may seem like one big amount of tax, you pay fewer hidden taxes.
Impact Of GST On Real Estate
Nearly 8% of the entire GDP of our country comes from real estate. Before the implementation of the GST, paying for a property that was under-construction entailed paying VAT, service tax, stamp duty, and registration fees. However, buying a finished house just required paying stamp duty and registration fees.
Applying GST will lower the cost of purchasing a home, mainly if you do it before construction. In addition, developers will also benefit from input credits on the GST they paid on the goods and services they provided, as potential buyers will bear that liability.
Since the government eliminated stamp duty with the implementation of GST, taxes imposed on real estate have also been simpler. This has increased the prominence of the impact of GST on the real estate sector. Without the input tax credit, the total amount of GST for all homes under construction will be 5%. For properties that are ready for habitation, GST is not applicable. Please consider the effects of GST on properties if you are considering buying a home.
Consider a property where the carpet area is up to 60 square meters and it is 90 square meters in a non-metro location. If so, you can include the property in the affordable housing scheme. If the value of this reasonably priced home is less than 45 lakh, it will attract 1% GST; otherwise, it will attract 5% GST. These are a few significant effects of GST on real estate.
In the tier-4 taxation system, builders must pay higher taxes but receive input credits later. Consequently, it is simple to see how GST helps the Indian economy.
Impact of GST on the common man
If you look at the immediate effects, customers will now have to pay extra taxes on the items and services they buy. Most necessary consumables will have either the same or greater tax amount. There are many advantages of GST for the common man.
Small-scale businesses must also bear the compliance cost, which can drive up the prices of their goods for the consumer.
However, the GST also holds some long-term advantages. For example, the FMCG industry will have to lower the cost of its commodities due to the reduction in taxes for manufacturers of consumer goods.
A decrease in prices will result in an instant increase in demand, accelerating the manufacturing cycle, and generating more revenue. With this, the economy will eventually benefit, and both the buyer and the seller will both be able to save a good amount of money.
Increasing production will also open the door for expansion, resulting in more jobs, and higher earnings. This not only improves opportunities for the common man but also boosts the economy.
GST also implies raising an invoice for the acquisition of any goods or services. An effective billing system will decrease the likelihood of corrupt practices and black money.
How does GST affect different sectors?
So far, we have discussed small, medium, and large enterprises and real estate. Let us now examine the effects of GST on sectors other than real estate.
Logistics
In a large country like ours, logistics is crucial to the economy. Particularly under the Make in India banner, the logistics sector can grow rapidly if it is well-organized and structured. GST makes this possible.
E-commerce
E-commerce offers significant room for expansion. However, e-commerce businesses must bear the tax collected at source element for GST.
Pharma
GST’s simplified tax structure has a positive impact on the healthcare and pharma sectors. The sector avails a tax respite in exchange for making healthcare accessible for cheaper to people of all income groups.
Telecom
The telecom industry can have lower prices with expenses like warehousing, logistics, etc., coming down.
Textile
One sector that utilizes the most skilled and unskilled labor is Indian textile; 10% of India’s overall exports come from the textile sector. These figures rise with the elimination of customs taxes. In addition, the GST also impacts the value of cotton, a component on which the majority of small-scale textile manufacturers rely. These are among the few effects of GST on small businesses.
Food production and farming
India’s GDP depends significantly on agriculture, which accounts for more than 16% of the total GDP. Furthermore, transportation expenses for agricultural goods come down when logistics become simpler and GST makes logistics simpler. Consequently, the GST’s impact on wholesalers has been highly positive.
FMCG
FMCG saves significantly on logistics and distribution expenses due to GST’s elimination of the requirement for several sales depots.
Automobile
Several taxes, including excise, VAT, sales tax, road tax, motor vehicle tax, and registration duty, were in effect under the former tax system; GST has now replaced these taxes. Given that manufacturers are currently saving more in the form of taxes, end consumers can save on automobile prices.
Startups
With advantages including a DIY compliance model, expanded registration limits, a free flow of products and services, and tax credits on purchases, GST has greatly benefited Indian startups. Tax calculation has also become simpler for businesses throughout India, particularly those in the e-commerce industry. However, if you work in a small-scale enterprise, you should understand the impact of GST on you.
Self-employed individuals
Although self-employment and freelancing are still relatively new in our country, filing taxes has been simpler because of the establishment of the GST, which classifies them as service providers.
For these people, it is crucial to comprehend how the GST affects micro, small, and medium-sized businesses.
Entrepreneurs working in the hospitality sector should research how GST affects their sector.
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