Why in News?

• The 37th GST Council met on 20th September 2019 in Goa under the chairmanship of Union Finance Minister.

Key Recommendations:

• Relaxations in annual returns filing for MSMEs for the financial year 2017 – 18 and 2018 – 19.
• A committee of officers would be appointed for examining the simplification of forms for annual return and reconciliation statement.
• Extension of the last date for filing of appeals against orders of the Appellate Authority before the GST Appellate Tribunal as the Appellate Tribunals are yet not functional.
• The new return system would be introduced from April 2020 instead of the previously proposed October 2019.
• Suitable amendments would be made to the CGST Act, UTGST Act and corresponding SGST Acts in view of the creation of the union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.Integrated refund system with disbursal by a single authority to be introduced from 24th September 2019.
• The Council also took an in-principle decision to link Aadhaar with the registration of taxpayers under GST and also to examine the possibility of making the 12-digit unique identification number mandatory for claiming refunds.
• Changes were also made to the GST rates for various goods and services.

GST Council:

• The Goods and Services Tax Council is a constitutional body for making recommendations to the Union and State Governments on issues related to Goods and Service Tax.
• It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister.
• The other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance, and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States.