Mangaluru : Dr M Subramanyam, commissioner for Central Excise and Customs, on Wednesday appealed to stakeholders to make use of various windows available, to sort out the issues related to the newly implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Addressing the gathering during an awareness programme on GST organised by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) here, Subramanyam said, “Help desks and war rooms have been set up, besides fast pacing the official mechanism with the department acting fast and swift to address any grievances related to new tax regime.”

Making it a point that any new law invariably rises many doubts and concerns at its nascent period, Subramanyam cited the examples of Malaysia and Singapore where GST was implemented in the recent years, only to trigger certain hiccup. In the case of India, GST was in the making for 17 years and it would have given rise to many concerns even if it was effected several years later from now.

However, the officer warned against ignorance of law in the later days, even after the government has fixed a deadline.

Saying that teething problems were coming in the way of smooth transition from previous tax regime to new, the officer wanted the stakeholders to put behind the past and embrace the new system that offers solace and convenience with information technology (IT) based various solutions. “The main objective of the new tax system is to simplify the process. Moreover, people will also not feel the pinch, with 81% of commodities brought under less than 18% GST,” he explained

Shreyas, assistant commissioner, Central Excise (Mangaluru South), led a team of officials who replied to the queries of participants at the awareness programme.

KCCI president Jeevan K Saldanha allayed fears of transiting from old to new tax regime, with Dakshina Kannada registering 92% growth rate under the previous valued added tax (VAT) system, higher than the state average.

K N Sulochana, joint commissioner, Department of Commercial Tax; Shankaran (South) and P T Rai (head quarters), assistant commissioners, Central Excise and Customs; and Ramakrishna Bhat and Nagaraj Nairi, superintendents, were present.