the goan I network
PANAJI
The President of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Sandip Bhandare, made a pitch for the government to reduce the tax rate for 5-star hotels. Bhandare was speaking on the occasion of the 110th annual general meeting of GCCI.
Bhandare said, “The rate of Goods-and-Services-Tax (GST) on 5-star hotels at 28% is quite high. The tax rates in other tourism destinations is much lesser. A lower tax rate on 5-star hotels is advisable.”
Also present on the occasion were Information Technology and Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte, and Chairman of EDC Sidharth Kuncalienker.
Bhadare also made it a point to urge the government to simplify the whole process of filing tax returns for Goods-and-Services-Tax. He said, “We should not become a nation of tax return filers.”
During the last one year, another major regulatory change was the introduction of RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act).
This act has made it mandatory for builders to deliver constructed real estate to the customers in a time-bound manner.
Bhandare said, “When builders are delivering real-estate in a time bound manner, even departments of the state government should be given a deadline to give various kinds of approvals to the builders.”
Often builders have complained that the government departments take a lot of time in giving approvals.
Any delay on the part of government in giving approvals may result in a builder not being able to deliver real estate within the deadline to the customer.
It is in this context that Bhandare’s comments should be seen.
The GCCI president further said, “Mining used to contribute huge revenue to the state government. Moreover, it used to provide employment to a significant number of people as well. However, due to the Supreme Court (SC) order, mining has stopped. No state can be dependent upon only one activity.”
“The four key sectors which the state should be focusing on are “ logistics, information technology (IT), tourism and manufacturing,” Bhandare added.
