All but 35 services are likely to be taxed in the upcoming budget. A consensus to this effect emerged in a meeting between the Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee and the Finance Ministers of States. All the state governments have agreed unanimously to the Center’s proposal to tax all services except 35 services which fall under the negative list.
The states are of the opinion that the Centre should not impose service tax on the items falling in Schedule VII's List II of the Constitution, on which state impose taxes. These include services like ambulance, beauty parlours, marriage halls, interest on bank deposits, leasing of vehicles and machines, etc.
At present 119 services are taxed in the country with 22 services being kept in the negative list. The collection from service tax amounted to over Rs 70,000 crore during 2010-11. Services account for 63% of India’s Gross Domestic Product and each year a number of services are being added.
Keeping this in view the Centre is keen that the base of the tax be expanded. With the unanimous view coming to this effect an announcement can be expected from the Finance Minister in the upcoming budget on March 16. For the current fiscal, the Centre hopes to mop up Rs 82,000 crore from this levy.
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