Sat Dec 21 16:44:49 UTC 2024: ## Kerala’s GST Concerns Addressed in Latest Council Meeting
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, December 21, 2024** – A series of decisions made at the 55th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting is expected to alleviate Kerala’s concerns regarding Integrated GST (IGST) revenue losses, according to Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal’s office.
The meeting, held in Jaisalmer under the chairmanship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, addressed the issue of inaccurate billing in online service transactions. The council mandated that bills for online services clearly specify the consumer’s location. This directly tackles a key issue for Kerala: when interstate service providers fail to specify the consumer’s location, the consuming state loses out on tax revenue.
Kerala has persistently advocated for improved accuracy in IGST settlement, arguing that the current system leads to revenue loss. The GST Council’s decision to require location specification in bills is seen as a direct response to this concern. Further, the council’s IGST settlement committee submitted recommendations designed to increase clarity and precision in the settlement process, a move anticipated to benefit Kerala significantly. This follows a July report from the Kerala Public Expenditure Review Committee highlighting the state’s revenue losses due to IGST inaccuracies.
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