The Government had spent a total of Rs. 1.13 crore to celebrate the first GST Day on 1st July 2018, an agency under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said while replying to an RTI query.
Under the new GST regime, all the indirect taxes such as Excise duty, Service Tax, sales tax, VAT, luxury tax, entry tax etc. prevailed in India was subsumed.
GST was launched on the 1st July 2017 in a majestic ceremony held in the Central Hall of Parliament on the midnight of 30th June 2017. The first year has been remarkable both for the sheer variety of challenges that its implementation has thrown up and for the willingness and ability of policy-makers and tax administrators to rise up to these challenges and respond befittingly.
As per the Bureau of Outreach and Communication under the ministry, the total expenditure incurred for providing advertisement promotions and events in various media and Government departments for commemorating the celebration of GST day on 1st July 2018 is Rs. 1,13,20,853.
As per the RTI query, the whole amount was spent on “expenditure on GST advertisements through this bureau” on print media. It, however, said there was “nil” expenditure for the same on electronic media and for outdoor media.
Earlier, through an RTI query, it was revealed that the Government had spent Rs 132.38 crore on advertisements for GST.
The Bombay High Court, in January this year expressed a view that the Country had yet not seen a celebration of New Tax regime, but that has followed with great hue and cry. “These celebrations mean nothing. The special sessions of Parliament or special or extraordinary meetings of Council would mean nothing to the assessees unless they obtain easy access to the website and portals,” the Court said.
