Functions entrusted to a Panchayat, municipality, Govt under GST. The GST aims to provide a more simplified tax regime, wherein plethora of Central and State taxes have been subsumed under a single tax, with a view to create a single market and allow seamless flow of goods and services across state borders.
Functions entrusted to a Panchayat, municipality, Govt under GST
Question 1: What is the meaning of ‘Government’ ?
Answer: As per section 2(53) of the CGST Act, 2017, ‘Government’ means the Central Government. As per clause (23) of section 3 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 the ‘Government’ includes both the Central Government and any State Government. As per clause (8) of section 3 of the said Act, the ‘Central Government’, in relation to anything done or to be done after the commencement of the Constitution, means the President. As per Article 53 of the Constitution, the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or indirectly through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Further, in terms of Article 77 of the Constitution, all executive actions of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President. Therefore, the Central Government means the President and the officers subordinate to him while exercising the executive powers of the Union vested in the President and in the name of the President.
Similarly, as per clause (60) of section 3 of the General Clauses Act,1897, the ‘State Government’, as respects anything done after the commencement of the Constitution, shall be in a State the Governor, and in an Union Territory the Central Government. As per Article 154 of the Constitution, the executive power of the State shall be vested in the Governor and shall be exercised by him either directly or indirectly through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Further, as per article 166 of the Constitution, all executive actions of the Government of State shall be expressed to be taken in the name of Governor. Therefore, State Government means the Governor or the officers subordinate to him who exercise the executive powers of the State vested in the Governor and in the name of the Governor.
Question 2: What are the functions entrusted to a municipality under Article 243W of the Constitution Answer: The functions entrusted to a municipality under the Twelfth Schedule to Article 243W of the Constitution are as under:
- (a) Urban planning including town planning.
- (b) Regulation of land-use and construction of buildings.
- (c) Planning for economic and social development.
- (d) Roads and bridges.
- (e) Water supply for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes.
- (f) Public health, sanitation conservancy and solid waste management.
- (g) Fire services.
- (h) Urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects.
- (i) Safeguarding the interests of weaker sections of society, including the handicapped and mentally retarded.
- (j) Slum improvement and upgradation.
- (k) Urban poverty alleviation.
- (l) Provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds.
- (m) Promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects.
- (n) Burials and burial grounds; cremations, cremation grounds; and electric crematoriums.
- (o) Cattle pounds; prevention of cruelty to animals.
- (p) Vital statistics including registration of births and deaths.
- (q) Public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences.
- (r) Regulation of slaughter houses and tanneries.
Question 3: What are the functions entrusted to a Panchayat under Article 243G of the Constitution?
Answer: The functions entrusted to a Panchayat under the Eleventh Schedule to Article 243G of the Constitution are as under:
(i) Agriculture, including agricultural extension. (ii) Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil conservation. (iii) Minor irrigation, water management and watershed development. (iv) Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry. (v) Fisheries. (vi) Social forestry and farm forestry. (vii) Minor forest produce. (viii) Small scale industries, including food processing industries. (ix) Khadi, village and cottage industries. (x) Rural housing. (xi) Drinking water. (xii) Fuel and fodder. (xiii) Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and other means of communication. (xiv) Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity. (xv) Non-conventional energy sources. (xvi) Poverty alleviation programme. (xvii) Education, including primary and secondary schools. (xviii) Technical training and vocational education. (xix) Adult and non-formal education. (xx) Libraries. (xxi) Cultural activities. (xxii) Markets and fairs. (xxiii) Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary health centres and dispensaries. (xxiv) Family welfare. (xxv) Women and child development. (xxvi) Social welfare, including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded. (xxvii) Welfare of the weaker sections, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. (xxviii) Public distribution system. (xxix) Maintenance of community assets.
Question 4: What is the significance of services provided by Government or a local authority by way of tolerating non-performance of a contract for which consideration in the form of fines or liquidated damages is payable to the Government or the local authority ?
Answer: Non-performance of a contract or breach of contract is one of the conditions normally stipulated in the Government contracts for supply of goods or services. The agreement entered into between the parties stipulates that both the service provider and service recipient abide by the terms and conditions of the contract. In case any of the parties breach the contract for any reason including nonperformance of the contract, then such person is liable to pay damages in the form of fines or penalty to the other party. Non-performance of a contract is an activity or transaction which is treated as a supply of service and the person is deemed to have received the consideration in the form of fines or penalty and is, accordingly, required to pay tax on such amount.
However non performance of contract by the supplier of service in case of supplies to Government is covered under the exemption from payment of tax. Thus any consideration received by the Government from any person or supplier for non performance of contract is exempted from tax. Illustration: Public Works Department of Karnataka entered into an agreement with M/s. ABC, a construction company for construction of office complex for certain amount of consideration. In the agreement dated 10.7.2017, it was agreed by both the parties that M/s. ABC shall complete the construction work and handover the project on or before 31.12.2017.
It was further agreed that any breach of the terms of contract by either party would give right to the other party to claim for damages or penalty. Assuming that M/s. ABC does not complete the construction and handover the project by the specified date i.e., on or before 31.12.2017. As per the contract, the department asks for damages/penalty from M/s. ABC and threatened to go to the court if not paid. Assuming that M/s ABC has paid an amount of Rs. 10,00,000/- to the department for non performance of contract. Such amount paid to department is exempted from payment of tax.
Question 5: What is the scope of ‘pure services’ mentioned in the exemption notification No. 12/2017-Central Tax (Rate), dated 28.06.2017?
Answer: In the context of the language used in the notification, supply of services without involving any supply of goods would be treated as supply of ‘pure services’. For example, supply of man power for cleanliness of roads, public places, architect services, consulting engineer services, advisory services, and like services provided by business entities not involving any supply of goods would be treated as supply of pure services. On the other hand, let us take the example of a governmental authority awarding the work of maintenance of street lights in a Municipal area to an agency which involves apart from maintenance, replacement of defunct lights and other spares. In this case, the scope of the service involves maintenance work and supply of goods, which falls under the works contract services. The exemption is provided to services involves only supply of services and not for works contract services.
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