Kalia advises Punjab FM not to tinker with spirit of GST by levying professional tax, entertainment tax

Jalandhar, July 15, 2017: Commenting upon the statement of Manpreet Singh Badal, Finance Minister, Punjab that the Punjab Government is thinking of levying professional tax, entertainment tax etc to garner additional revenue, Manoranjan Kalia, Former Minister, Punjab and Senior BJP leader said that except petrol and liquor, everything whether levied and exempted comes within the purview of Goods and Service Tax (GST).

Kalia said the state governments have the exclusive domain to levy tax upon petrol and liquor, apart from the states' shares from GST. Any attempt by the state Govt. to levy tax upon the items other than liquor and petrol amounts to the violation of Goods and Service Tax act in letter and spirit and is violation of the principle of One Nation One Tax and One Market . Thus, the Punjab Government cannot levy professional tax, entertainment tax etc.
Kalia advised the Finance Minister not to tinker with the spirit of GST by levying professional Tax, Entertainment Tax etc.