GST: CBIC forms Standing Committee for Consumer Welfare Fund [Read Order]

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs ( CBIC ) has formed a standing committee for the Consumer Welfare Fund under the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017.

The anti-profiteering authority was set up in last November to ensure that the prices are increased under the GST regime.

Under the GST law, if the anti-profiteering authority finds that a company has not passed on the GST benefits, it will either direct the entity to pass on the benefits to consumers or if the beneficiary cannot be identified, will ask the company to transfer the amount to the ‘consumer welfare fund’ within a specified timeline.

As per an order passed by the GST (Policy Wing) of the CBIC, the standing committee would be headed by the Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. The following are the other members.

(i) Secretary, Department of Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance or the Financial Adviser, Department of Consumer Affairs in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, who shall be the vice-Chairman of the committee; (ii) Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs or an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary in the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance; (iii) Member (GST) of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs; (iv) Secretary/ Joint Secretary/ Economic Advisor, Department of Rural Development; (v) Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) (vi) Secretary or his nominee not below the rank of Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; (vii) Secretary or his nominee not below the rank of Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of HRD; (viii) Director General/ Additional Director General, Bureau of Indian Standard; and (ix) The Additional Secretary/ Joint Secretary in charge of Consumer Welfare Fund in the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution who shall also be the Member Secretary of the Committee.