Reprint revised MRP post GST or face the music: Govt to cos

To clear confusion after the GST rollout, the government has come out with a foolproof plan to resolve all doubts of traders, consumers and other stakeholders.

The government has formed crack teams of 175 senior bureaucrats to monitor on a daily basis price and supply situation and ensure there are no disruptions.

In a major relief to traders who were left with huge unsold inventories before the GST kicked in from July 1, the government has allowed the use of stickers with revised rates, alongside the printed MRP for pre-packaged items, for three months to reflect changes in selling price.

The changed prices of commodities post GST implementation have to be intimated through advertisements in at least two newspapers. A letter has also been sent to all states as well as stakeholders in this regard.

In a series of tweets, Union Food and Consumers Minister Ramvilas Paswan has said that prices of some commodities have fallen, while some have increased with the implementation of GST. "Fall in prices due to lower GST should be passed on to consumers. The government will take legal action against vendors not declaring revised MRP after GST," he said.

However, after September 30, the printed MRP on pre-packaged commodity will have to necessarily include the GST rate and no add-on stickers would be allowed.

"The Centre hereby, permits the manufacturers or packers or importers of pre-packaged commodities to declare the changed MRP for three months from July 1-September 30 and declaration of the changed MRP should be made by way of stamping or putting a sticker or online printing," a notification said.

Clearing doubts arising among traders after GST implementation, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said, "Small traders are not required to issue bills as they are covered under a composition scheme that requires them to pay a fixed tax. Bigger businesses with a turnover of over Rs 75 lakh are required to issue bills, but not necessarily a computer generated receipts." Hand-written receipts with a proper invoice number that can be added and filed in returns will be good enough, he said.

Adhia further said that toll, mandi charges and fee on vehicle entry into states are not subsumed in the GST and will continue to be charged by local bodies or state governments.