From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 16: Instead of April 1, the date for introduction of electronic-way bill system under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime will now be from February 1, 2018.

This was decided by a five-member Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi in Bengaluru on Saturday.

The revenue shortfall due to illegal transport of goods between states following absence of check-posts after the launch of GST in last July has been attributed as the main reason for pre-phoning the launch of e-way bill system. The GST Council had earlier decided to launch the e-way bill from April 1, 2018.

Modi said the Government owned National Informatics Centre (NIC) will be implementing agency for e-way bill.

Speaking to reporters after chairing the 5th meeting of GoM in Bengaluru on Saturday, Modi said states have given liberty to launch e-way bill for intra-state transportation of goods by June 30.

The GoM, which held a video-conference with GST Council Chairman and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, decided to introduce trial run of e-way bill system from January 15 itself.

The rules governing the compulsory implementation of the e-way bill system across India for inter-state movement of goods would be notified soon for smooth launch of the system from February 1.

These regulations would be meant to bring uniformity across states for seamless inter-state movement of goods.
Modi said the States were authorized to continue their own separate e-way Bill systems.

However, it was represented by the trade and transporters that this is causing undue hardship in the Inter-State movement of goods and therefore, bringing in an early all India system of e-way Bill has become a necessity.

The GST Council reviewed the progress of readiness of hardware and software required for the introduction of nationwide e-way Bill System.

After discussions with all the States, Modi said the following decisions have been taken:

* The Rules for implementation of nationwide e-way Bill system for Inter-State movement of goods on a compulsory basis will be notified with effect from February 1, 2018. This will bring uniformity across the States for seamless inter-State movement of goods.

* While the System for both inter-State and intra-State e-way Bill generation will be ready by January 15, 2018, the States may choose their own timings for implementation of e-way Bill for intra-State movement of goods on any date before June 30, 2018.

* There are certain States which are already having system of e-way Bill for intra-State as well as inter-State movement and some of those States can be early adopters of national e-way Bill system for intra-State movement also.

* But in any case, the Uniform System of e-way Bill for inter-State as well as intra-State movement will be implemented across the country by June 30, 2018.