GST AMENDMENTS PROPOSED IN BUDGET 2023

The Union Budget of 2023 has proposed several amendments to the GST Act. This is an attempt to explain the important amendments in simple language. It may be noted that the amendments will be in force only after being passed by the Parliament and state assemblies so as of now they are only proposals.

1. Amendment to Section 10 of the C G S T A c t - E a r l i e r p e r s o n s supplying goods via E-commerce operators were not allowed to opt for the “Composition scheme” in GST which had lesser compliances and tax rates In effect, smaller b u s i n e s s m e n w h o c h o s e composition scheme to reduce compliances, were blocked from selling goods via E-commerce operators This restriction is proposed to be removed thus even small businesses who are under composition scheme will be able to s e l l g o o d s v i a e c o m m e r c e operators. The only catch here is, composition dealers were not allowed to sell goods interstate, and that restriction continues so even though they are allowed to sell via E-commerce operators now, they cannot sell beyond their state of registration Are e-commerce websites ready for such features?

2. Amendment to Section 17 of the CGST Act - The supply of goods to another person before the said goods are cleared with customs for h o m e c o n s u m p t i o n , i s n o w proposed to be included in the scope of “exempt supplies” in context of the need to reverse input tax credit in relation to exempt supplies.

3. Amendment to Section 17 of the CGST Act – Corporates often purchase goods or procure services which are then given/donated to beneficiaries under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as mandated by the Companies Act. There has been a raging debate on whether the corporate can claim input tax credit on such purchases of goods and services. It has been argued by businesses that this is an expenditure in the course of their business and also helps in brand building etc The budget now proposes to end this debate and states that no benefit of input tax credit will be available on such purchases used for CSR as per Companies Act.

4. Amendment to Section 23 of the CGST Act – Section 22 of the CGST Act prescribed that businesses whose supplies crossed a particular threshold (In Goa: Rs 20 lacs for services and Rs 40 lacs for goods), had to register for GST. Section 23 on the other hand specified those suppliers who need not register under GST even if their supplies crossed the above thresholds (egs those making only exempt supplies). Further, section 24 of the CGST Act stated that certain categories of businesses required to register under GST mandatorily, even if their supplies were below the threshold, just because they entered a specific transaction (egs: obtaining services which were liable to GST on reverse charge basis such as lawyer services). Thus there was a conflict between these provisions in certain cases for egs: A doctor was not required to be registered under GST (vide Sec 23) since his turnover was fully exempt from GST, but if the same doctor obtained some services from a lawyer, then would section 24 override section 23 and make him register under GST? This conflict has been resolved stating that if you are exempted from registering under GST vide Sec 23, then section 24 would not apply to you This amendment will be e f f e c t i v e f r o m 0 1 / 0 7 / 2 0 1 7 retrospectively, once notified.

5. Amendments to Section 37, 39, 44 and 52 of the CGST Act – Now taxpayers will be able to file GSTR returns GSTR 1, GSTR 3B, GSTR 9 and GSTR 8 respectively, only till three years from the due date of furnishing the said return. Thus, the budget proposes an outer limit as to by when a taxpayer can file GST returns

6. Amendments to Section 132 of t h e C G S T A c t – Va r i o u s amendments are proposed to dilute/reduce punishments for offences in GST: a The following activities have been decriminalised

- obstructs or prevents any officer in the discharge of his duties under this Act;

- tampers with or destroys any material evidence or documents;

- fails to supply any information which he is required to supply under this Act or the rules made thereunder or (unless with a reasonable belief, the burden of proving which shall be upon him, that the information supplied by him is true) supplies false information b The monetary threshold for launching prosecution for the offences under the Act has been increased from Rs 1 Crore to Rs 2 crore, except for the offences related to issuance of invoices without supply of goods or services or both.

7. Insertion of new Section - A new section 158A in the CGST Act is being inserted so as to provide for prescribing manner and conditions for sharing of the information furnished by the registered person in his return or in his application of registration or in his statement of outward supplies, or the details uploaded by him for generation of electronic invoice or E- way bill or any other details, as may be prescribed, on the common portal with such other systems, as may be notified.

8. Paras 7, 8 (a) and 8 (b) were inserted in Schedule III of CGST Act, 2017 with effect from 01.02.2019 to keep certain transactions/ activities, such as supplies of goods from a place outside the taxable territory to another place outside the taxable territory, high sea sales and supply of warehoused goods before their home clearance, outside the purview of GST. In order t o r e m o v e t h e d o u b t s a n d ambiguities regarding taxability of such transactions/ activities during the period 01.07.2017 to 31.01.2019, provisions are being incorporated to make the said paras effective from 01 07 2017 However, no refund of tax paid shall be available in cases where any tax has already been paid in respect of such transactions/ activities during the period 01.07.2017 to 31.01.2019.

9. Amendment to Section 12 of the IGST Act – This amendment targets specifically service of transport of goods by a transporter to a place outside India i.e export of goods. As per current provisions, such transporter had to charge IGST to his recipient, even though recipient was in the same state as him, only because the goods were being moved to a place outside India. The budget now proposes to remove this clause thereby allowing a transporter to charge CGST/SGST to an exporter in cases where both are in the same state.

By Norbert D’Souza

Why Squats Are So Good For You

maintain proper form, include your abdominals and inner and outer thighs.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOING SQUATS?

1. Squats will give you stronger glutes. Anybody who's wanted to build a stronger butt knows the value of squats. That strength can t r a n s l a t e i n t o i m p r o v e d performance in sports activities that require sprinting and jumping, as well as those you do in daily life, especially if you're older, according to a study in Yoga & Physical Therapy. Strong glutes can also aid you in walking, running, and hiking.

Squats First and Foremost Does Is Fire Up the Glutes, Quadriceps, and Calf Muscles

If you seriously want to add strength training moves to your workout routine that will deliver big benefits? TRY SQUATS. Doing them regularly can build lots of strength, and you 'll notice everyday tasks are easier, whether it's squatting down to pick something up off the floor, sitting down in a chair, or reaching for something on the b o t t o m s h e l f a t t h e general/supermarket store.

WHAT MUSCLES DO SQUATS WORK?

Why do fitness trainers love to prescribe squats? “Not only is the squat a fundamental movement pattern that has functional carryover to many activities of daily living and sport, it also challenges and strengthens many muscles.

There are three categories of muscles involved in a squat. They include the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in your butt; the quadriceps muscles, which include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis obliquus, and vastus intermedius; and a deep calf muscle called the soleus.

There are also helper muscles, like those in the inner thighs, hamstrings, back, and calves, while stabilizers, which help you

2. Squats help with functionality (particularly as you age). Add squats to your fitness program, and you'll develop functional leg strength and mobility, which may make it easier to get up off the floor,

3 Squats can strengthen your bones. Weight-bearing activities are best for building bones, and squats definitely count. “Squats help make hip and leg bones and joints more resilient through improved bone mineral density

4. Squats will help you burn calories The more muscles an exercise uses, the more calories you'll burn. Squats certainly fit that requirement, as they come with a high caloric expenditure, I S S Q U A T S S A F E F O R EVERYONE?

Squats are safe for most people. There may be variations that may be less appropriate for certain individuals, depending on their medical and injury history, training history and status, and goals Variations of squats include: the overhead squat, a jump squat, a goblet squat, and a box squat. The key is finding a squat variation and progression you can do without pain or risk of a particular condition worsening or injury risk increasing. For instance, if you have a knee or hip injury, you might need to modify how wide you stand or how deep you squat, If you're unsure, check with your Trainer before doing squats.

HOW MANY SQUATS SHOULD YO U B E D O I N G A N D H O W OFTEN?

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PDF) recommends that adults do strength training of all major muscle groups two or more nonconsecutive days a week. Yet how often you do squat and how many you do will depend on many variables, including how intense the squat is, what variation you're doing, what your goals are, what your current fitness level is, and how much rest and recovery time you'll need, The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends doing 3 set of 8 to 12 repetitions if you're healthy, but you may want to do more if you're trying to build muscular endurance or less if muscular strength is your goal.

H O W T O D O A S Q U A T

CORRECTLY

Learning the right squat form will help prevent injury and ensure you ' re using your muscles effectively (bodyweight squat)

1 Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes forward, and knees over your second and third toes.

2. Lower your butt toward the floor by hinging at the hips and bending at the knees, making sure your knees track over the second and third toes and keeping your heels on the ground. As you do this, allow your glutes to push back and out behind your body as if you're sitting into a chair. Keep your chest up and head and neck in a neutral position. Lower to a depth that allows you to maintain proper form. For some individuals, that may be at a point where their thighs are parallel with the floor, while others may not be able to go nearly that low.

3. Push into your feet to push your body back up and away from the floor to stand up, moving your hips forward until you've returned to starting position.

4. Repeat.

By Dr. Schuyler Pereira

Smilecraft is one of the top rated dental clinic’s in Goa. Dr Schuyler

Pereira completed his dental studies from the renowned New York University in USA. He maintains state of the art dental practices at Goa and Bangalore. At Smilecraft a holistic treatment approach is taken when it comes to dental health. We offer a wide range of dental services ranging from teeth cleaning to cosmetic dentistry and implant. We indeed craft smiles that will last you miles!

TEETH WHITENING - 6 REASONS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

Always been conscious to flaunt your smile? Do you feel that your teeth look dull or ydiscoloured and wondered what could be done? Well , if so Teeth whitening could be the solution for you! Here are some reasons why you should think of getting professional Teeth Whitening

1)A Brighter Smile

Teeth whitening results in A youthful and brighter smile

Generally one can expect your teeth to lighten by 3-5 shades with a single sitting of teeth whitening.

2) Boosts Self confidence

A brighter smile automatically boosts one's self confidence. Your teeth look and feel better which also impacts your overall personality

3) Removal of stains

Teeth whitens help remove stains such as wine stains , coffee stains, a n d s t a i n s c a u s e d b y consumption of other food stuff.

4 ) H e l p s i n c e s s a t i o n o f smoking

When you see your teeth white and clean, the mind automatically signals you to try and maintain it that way thereby influencing you to take a conscious decision to quit smoking thus teeth whitening can also influence you to quit smoking.

5) First Impression

Want to make the right first impression? A set of clean, bright and well aligned teeth signifies confidence which is something important in a job interview.

6) Your big day!

Yes, ensure that your smile is perfect just like everything else on your big day by getting zoom teeth whitening done prior to your wedding.

If the above reasons are enough to convince you, call us to know more about our teeth whitening services and to enquire about teeth whitening cost in Goa. We offer home teeth whitening and laser teeth whitening in Goa. Call o r e m a i l u s t o b o o k a n appointment!

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