News & Announcement
Outreach Programme for Dissemination of New Generation GST Reforms
Gangtok, September 21 (IPR): The outreach programme for dissemination of new generation GST reforms, jointly organised by CGST and Central Excise Commissionerate, Siliguri, Govt of India and Commercial Taxes Division, Finance Department, Govt of Sikkim, was held at Chintan Bhawan, here today.
Joint Commissioner CGST Siliguri Commissionerate, Dr Nirmal Joy made a presentation on the next generation of GST reforms by the 56th GST Council Meeting, highlighting key changes and their implications. He informed that the Council Meeting was held in New Delhi on September 3, under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister, Government of India, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman and in accordance to the Independence Day 2025 Speech of the Prime Minister, the 'Next Generation GST Reforms' were announced.
The goals of these reforms include rationalisation of GST slabs to reduce burden on citizens and ease compliance. The detailed presentation covered an overview of reforms, major structural changes in GST rates, sectoral overview on rate changes, highlights on rate reforms, and relief in health, insurance and agriculture. GST has been exempted on all individual life and health insurance policies. Rates on 33 lifesaving drugs have been reduced from 12% to nil and 3 from 5% to nil. Medical devices and apparatus have been reduced to 5%. GST has also been reduced from 12% to 5% on tractors and farm equipment. A slide was also presented on how these reforms empower the MSME sector. Items moved to higher tax slabs were discussed as well.
Dr Joy also spoke on procedural reforms for trade facilitation, which included GST refunds for low-value export consignments, risk-based provisional refunds (zero-rated supplies), risk-based refunds for inverted duty structure, simplified registration GST scheme for small and low-risk businesses effective 1st November 2025, amendment in place of supply for intermediary services, clarifications on post-sale discounts, annual return exemption for small taxpayers, and GST Appellate Tribunals. He concluded with the expected impacts and benefits of the new reforms. Public notice no. 06/2025 issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Central Goods and Service Tax, listing nodal officers under the Siliguri Commissionerate to assist trade, was also shared.
Joint Commissioner, Commercial Tax Division, Govt of Sikkim, Mr Dorjee Wangchuk, presented a PPT on the rationalisation of rates and its implications on ITC. He explained that manufacturers, packers or importers of pre-packaged commodities are permitted to declare revised sale prices (MRP) on unsold stock due to the change in GST rates of goods and services. The advisory issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs on 18th September 2025, superseding the earlier advisory dated 9th September 2025, was also discussed.
This was followed by an open interaction among stakeholders, moderated by Commissioner Commercial Tax Division Mr Manoj Rai, and Joint Commissioner CGST Siliguri Commissionerate, Dr Nirmal Joy.
The welcome address was delivered by Additional Commissioner Commercial Tax Division, Finance Department, Government of Sikkim Mr Keshab Subba, and the vote of thanks was presented by Commercial Tax Inspector Mr Micum W Targain.
The programme also saw the presence ofvAssistant Commissioner CGST Mr PK Das, Superintendent Mr Abhimanyu Maji, Inspector CGST Commissionerate Siliguri Mr Pushkar Kumar, along with Chartered Accountants, Advocates, Tax Practitioners, officials from various corporations, trade associations, and stakeholders.
Joint Commissioner CGST Siliguri Commissionerate, Dr Nirmal Joy made a presentation on the next generation of GST reforms by the 56th GST Council Meeting, highlighting key changes and their implications. He informed that the Council Meeting was held in New Delhi on September 3, under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister, Government of India, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman and in accordance to the Independence Day 2025 Speech of the Prime Minister, the 'Next Generation GST Reforms' were announced.
The goals of these reforms include rationalisation of GST slabs to reduce burden on citizens and ease compliance. The detailed presentation covered an overview of reforms, major structural changes in GST rates, sectoral overview on rate changes, highlights on rate reforms, and relief in health, insurance and agriculture. GST has been exempted on all individual life and health insurance policies. Rates on 33 lifesaving drugs have been reduced from 12% to nil and 3 from 5% to nil. Medical devices and apparatus have been reduced to 5%. GST has also been reduced from 12% to 5% on tractors and farm equipment. A slide was also presented on how these reforms empower the MSME sector. Items moved to higher tax slabs were discussed as well.
Dr Joy also spoke on procedural reforms for trade facilitation, which included GST refunds for low-value export consignments, risk-based provisional refunds (zero-rated supplies), risk-based refunds for inverted duty structure, simplified registration GST scheme for small and low-risk businesses effective 1st November 2025, amendment in place of supply for intermediary services, clarifications on post-sale discounts, annual return exemption for small taxpayers, and GST Appellate Tribunals. He concluded with the expected impacts and benefits of the new reforms. Public notice no. 06/2025 issued by the Office of the Commissioner of Central Goods and Service Tax, listing nodal officers under the Siliguri Commissionerate to assist trade, was also shared.
Joint Commissioner, Commercial Tax Division, Govt of Sikkim, Mr Dorjee Wangchuk, presented a PPT on the rationalisation of rates and its implications on ITC. He explained that manufacturers, packers or importers of pre-packaged commodities are permitted to declare revised sale prices (MRP) on unsold stock due to the change in GST rates of goods and services. The advisory issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs on 18th September 2025, superseding the earlier advisory dated 9th September 2025, was also discussed.
This was followed by an open interaction among stakeholders, moderated by Commissioner Commercial Tax Division Mr Manoj Rai, and Joint Commissioner CGST Siliguri Commissionerate, Dr Nirmal Joy.
The welcome address was delivered by Additional Commissioner Commercial Tax Division, Finance Department, Government of Sikkim Mr Keshab Subba, and the vote of thanks was presented by Commercial Tax Inspector Mr Micum W Targain.
The programme also saw the presence ofvAssistant Commissioner CGST Mr PK Das, Superintendent Mr Abhimanyu Maji, Inspector CGST Commissionerate Siliguri Mr Pushkar Kumar, along with Chartered Accountants, Advocates, Tax Practitioners, officials from various corporations, trade associations, and stakeholders.
