New Delhi June 30 (IANS) As the Goods and Services Tax (GST) roll-out completes one year on July 1 the Congress on Saturday described it as a "Grossly Scary Tax" and said the promise of a "single tax GST" still remains a pipe dream.
The party also said multiple returns multiple rules and multiple tax slabs have made life of an ordinary trader "nightmarish".
"GST completes 1 Year at 12 O Clock tonight it remains ‘Grossly Scary Tax for millions of traders shopkeepers & businessmen. No wonder GST s more popular description is ‘Gabbar Singh Tax than ‘Genuine and Simple Tax that it was meant to be " said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in Twitter.
"A Single Tax GST as promised remains a ‘pipe dream . Multiple returns multiple rules and multiple tax slabs have made the life of an ordinary trader nightmarish " he added.
Surjewala said: "To determine GST itself is frightening. Steps- 1) Every taxpayer has to search a ‘Code Book running into 438 pages with 18 036 categories 2. Out of 7 tax slabs applicable slab has to be found 3. Add all state cesses 4. Add supply chain incentives 5. Calculate GST."
"Even after one year only GSTR-1 form exists. Government failed to notify GSTR-2 and GSTR-3. Till that happens bills won t match and refund would remain a nightmare.
"Also GSTR-3B is a temporary form. How can government continue to stretch it at all?" he asked.
The Congress leader also said: "Out of 111 lakh registered businesses under GST not more then 50 per cent have been able to file GST returns."
"Ambiguity complication deficiency of IT infrastructure remains a major challenge. GST collections remain at an average of 90K crore against the target of 1.25K crore per month " he tweeted.

--IANS sid/ahm/nir