GST showing positive signs in Meghalaya, says experts

SHILLONG: The overall impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Meghalaya in the last six months has been positive, said a senior tax official in the city on Tuesday.
Addressing a gathering at Vartalap, a workshop organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Assistant Commissioner of GST Shillong AK Paul said with introduction of GST, there has been huge benefit in cost of inter-state transportation of goods leading to reduction of prices of some items.
“Due to the abolition of various toll gates, the time taken by a goods truck to travel from Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi district to New Delhi has been reduced from five to three days,” Paul said and added that Rs 266.46 crore has been collected as tax in Meghalaya as on November 30.
Mang Pariat, superintendent of taxes, Circle 2, in his presentation said with GST there is a decrease in inflation and ‘black’ transactions. There is an ease of doing business too, he added. Earlier, BDR Tiwari, Secretary of Planning, lauded the efforts of PIB for organising the interactive programme.
Stressing the need for dissemination of information, Tiwari said, “Schemes are made for the welfare of people but the optimum benefit of these programmes and schemes could not be delivered if people are not aware of them.”
GST has improved the efficiency of various government departments enabling them to concentrate more on “delivery than processes”. “There has also been boom in the use of technology in the media industry recently. The media industry is moving away from traditional print and audio-visual domination and into the digital age ushering in innovative technology, creativity and high-speed communication,” he added as he laid emphasis on building social infrastructure in the state.
Lauding the traditional systems of Meghalaya, he said these time-tested mechanisms have facilitated smooth implementation of various government schemes.