Ministry of MSME along with FICCI organized a National Workshop on GST and Digital MSME on 13th of July. Speaking on the occasion Shri Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister for MSME said that the Ministry of MSME is giving special focus to the development of MSME’s all over the country and to effectively implement different Schemes and Programmes. It has also directed the banks to accelerate the pace of solving the loan related problems of the entrepreneurs.
He also informed the gathering that by rolling out GST, cascading of taxes will be overcome and this will significantly reduce the tax burden. Furthermore, this will pave the way for a formal economy hence will give a fillip to growth and employment generation. Therefore, MSMEs should see this as an opportunity rather than a challenge.
The Minister also informed that the Ministry has taken up various efforts to popularize GST. Under office of Development Commissioner (MSME), GST cells have been established in Headquarter office, all MSME-DIs and Tool Rooms. NSIC has also set up a Facilitation Cell with a toll free number – 1800-111-955.
Till now more than 12000 entrepreneurs have been trained for GST by various MSME field offices and training institutes.
He reiterated that that he himself has given information on GST at Guwahati and Agartala in North East. The Minister has directed all officials to use social media i.e. Facebook and Twitter to provide information, to publish notification and to answer questions related to GST. Furthermore, more than 200 Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary level officers have been told to monitor the implementation of GST at district level. In this effort two Joint Secretaries of M/o MSME are involved.
Shri Mishra informed that a special issue of Laghu Udyog Samachar has been published by his Ministry focusing on GST. Furthermore, Secretary (MSME) has been included in the reviewing committee the Cabinet Secretary level.
Along with GST, M/o MSME has taken effort to simplify the guidelines for implementation of its various schemes. E-initiatives have been taken in simplification of guidelines wherein PMEGP has been made online. Online Grievance Redressal and Monitoring Systems (CPGRAMS and IGMS) have been established. E-office and Mobile friendly website have been initiated and ‘My-MSME’ Mobile App, MSME-Data Bank Portal and Digital-MSME portal have been started.
Minister of State Shri Giriraj Singh informed the gathering that by rolling out GST, the Government has opened new opportunities for the hitherto unorganized rural entrepreneurs predominantly in the micro and small segment.
Minister of State Shri Haribhai Parthibhai mentioned that a huge parallel economy which has been existing till now will subsequently come in the formal fold, with the emergence of GST. He appealed to entrepreneurs to choose their vendors judiciously so as to take benefit of the input tax credit being offered by the new system.
