Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji 

Panaji, Sep 9: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday assured the state’s business community that the government would address bottlenecks and ensure a smooth rollout of the new GST rate structure set to take effect from September 22. 
 
Speaking at an interactive session organised by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Sawant said efforts were being made to bring transparency, reduce red-tapism, and provide stability for long-term business planning.  

“What is most important is for the benefits to be passed on to the citizens. My appeal to the industry is to ensure that relief under GST 2.0 reaches the common man,” Sawant said. He highlighted that startups, tourism businesses, and export-oriented industries stand to gain the most. 

Commitment to transparency and Red-Tapism reduction Sawant assured that the GST office has started working to ensure quick redressal of grievances, transparency, and business-friendly initiatives. “If there is any relief expected from the government side, please suggest. We are ready for that,” he added. 

State taxes commissioner sarpreet Singh Gill noted that the government was reviewing the tax threshold for hotels, with the possibility of raising the current limit of Rs 7,500 per night for the 5% GST slab. 

Sawant acknowledged that there might be a short-term dip in revenue, but stressed that the benefits to citizens outweigh the initial impact. To ease compliance, GST registration in Goa has been simplified and will now be completed within three days. He also assured that 90% of export duty refunds would be cleared quickly, addressing long-standing delays. 

Medicines and medical care are expected to become cheaper, while exporters, startups, and the tourism industry will benefit from reduced taxation and simplified procedures. Sawant reaffirmed that grievance redressal mechanisms had already been initiated to ensure faster resolutions.