A person who is liable to register under GST is a person who carries on any business at any place in India and who is registered or required to be registered under the GST Act. The requirement of registration depends on various factors such as turnover, nature of supply, location of supply, etc.

Some of the persons who are liable to register under GST are:

• Any supplier of goods or services whose aggregate turnover in a financial year exceeds Rs.40 lakhs for normal category states and Rs.20 lakhs for special category states.
• Any person who makes an inter-state supply of goods or services, regardless of turnover.
• Any person who is registered under an earlier law (such as VAT, excise, service tax, etc.) and is required to migrate to GST.
• Any person who supplies goods or services on behalf of another registered person, such as an agent or a distributor.
• Any person who is required to pay tax under reverse charge mechanism, i.e., the recipient of goods or services who pays tax instead of the supplier.

The rates of GST for different goods and services are the percentage rates of tax levied on the supply of goods and services under the GST regime. There are five main GST rate slabs: 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. Some goods and services also attract a cess in addition to the GST rate, such as tobacco, aerated drinks, luxury cars, etc. The cess is levied to compensate the states for any revenue loss due to GST implementation.

The GST rates for different goods and services are decided by the GST Council, which is a constitutional body comprising representatives from the central and state governments. The GST Council meets periodically to review and revise the GST rates based on various factors such as revenue collection, inflation, demand and supply, etc.

Some of the common goods and services and their GST rates are:

• Milk, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, salt, etc. are exempt from GST.
• Sugar, tea, coffee, edible oils, domestic LPG, footwear (below Rs.500), apparels (below Rs.1000), etc. are taxed at 5% GST.
• Butter, cheese, ghee, dry fruits, footwear (above Rs.500), apparels (above Rs.1000), mobile phones, etc. are taxed at 12% GST.
• Hair oil, toothpaste, soap, pasta, cakes, pastries, mineral water, camera, speakers, etc. are taxed at 18% GST.
• Chocolate, chewing gum, shampoo, deodorant, air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. are taxed at 28% GST.

To file GST returns and pay GST taxes, you need to follow these steps:

1. Register on the GST portal (www.gst.gov.in) with your GSTIN (Goods and Services Tax Identification Number), which is a 15-digit number based on your PAN (Permanent Account Number) and state code
2. Upload your invoices on the GST portal or through a GST software. You will get an invoice reference number for each invoice.
3. File your monthly or quarterly GST returns (such as GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-4, etc.) based on your type of business and turnover. You can file your returns online on the GST portal or through a GST software. You will also need to file an annual GST return (such as GSTR-9, GSTR-9A, GSTR-9C, etc.) at the end of the financial year.
4. Pay your GST taxes online on the GST portal using a challan (PMT-06). You can generate a challan online on the GST portal or through a GST software. You can pay your taxes using various modes such as net banking, debit card, credit card, NEFT, RTGS, etc. You can also pay your taxes offline at designated banks using a challan.
5. Claim your input tax credit (ITC) by matching your purchases with your suppliers' sales. You can check your ITC eligibility and availability on the GST portal or through a GST software. You can also rectify any mismatches or discrepancies in your ITC claims.

The difference between CGST, SGST, IGST and UTGST is based on their applicability and collection.

• CGST stands for Central Goods and Services Tax. It is a tax levied by the central government on the supply of goods and services within a state (intra-state). The revenue collected under CGST belongs to the central government. CGST replaces various central taxes such as central excise duty, service tax, customs duty, etc.
• SGST stands for State Goods and Services Tax. It is a tax levied by the state government on the supply of goods and services within a state (intra-state). The revenue collected under SGST belongs to the state government. SGST replaces various state taxes such as VAT, sales tax, entertainment tax, luxury tax, etc.
• IGST stands for Integrated Goods and Services Tax. It is a tax levied by the central government on the supply of goods and services between states (inter-state) or between India and other countries (import/export). The revenue collected under IGST is shared between the central and state governments based on the destination principle. IGST eliminates the cascading effect of taxes on inter-state transactions.
• UTGST stands for Union Territory Goods and Services Tax. It is a tax levied by the union territory government on the supply of goods and services within a union territory (intra-union territory). The revenue collected under UTGST belongs to the union territory government. UTGST applies to union territories without legislatures such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Chandigarh.

GST has several benefits for businesses and consumers. Some of them are:

1. GST eliminates the cascading effect of taxes, i.e., tax on tax, by subsuming various central and state taxes such as excise, VAT, service tax, etc. This reduces the tax burden and the cost of production for businesses and the prices for consumers.
2. GST simplifies the compliance process by providing a common online portal for registration, filing returns, payment of taxes, etc. This saves time and resources for businesses and improves transparency and accountability.
3. GST creates a uniform tax system across the country by having common rates and rules for all goods and services. This facilitates the movement of goods and services across states and reduces the barriers to trade. This also helps in creating a common national market and boosting economic growth.
4. GST enhances the competitiveness of Indian goods and services in the domestic and international markets by reducing the cost of production and increasing efficiency. GST also provides a level playing field for domestic producers by removing the tax advantage for imported goods.
5. GST benefits the consumers by lowering the prices of goods and services due to the elimination of cascading effect of taxes and increased competition among producers. GST also provides more choices to consumers by increasing the availability of goods and services across states.
6. GST benefits the government by increasing the tax base and improving the revenue collection. GST also reduces the administrative costs and corruption involved in collecting multiple taxes. GST also enables better coordination and cooperation among the central and state governments on fiscal matters.

An e-way bill is an electronic document that is required for the movement of goods of value more than Rs. 50,000 within or outside a state. It is generated on the e-way bill portal (www.ewaybillgst.gov.in) by providing the details of the supplier, recipient, transporter, invoice and goods. The e-way bill has a unique number that is valid for a certain period depending on the distance of the movement of goods.

An e-way bill software is a software that helps in generating, managing and updating e-way bills on the GST portal. It also helps in validating the data, reconciling the invoices, tracking the status and expiry of e-way bills, etc. An e-way bill software can be integrated with the ERP or accounting software of the business to automate the process of e-way bill. generation and compliance

GST compliance rating is a score assigned by the GST authorities to the registered taxpayers based on their record of compliance with the GST provisions. It is a measure of how well a taxpayer follows the GST rules and regulations, such as timely payment of taxes, timely filing of returns, timely reconciliation of invoices, etc.

The GST compliance rating is updated at periodic intervals (such as monthly, quarterly, etc.) and intimated to the registered taxpayers. It is also placed in the public domain for everyone to see. The GST compliance rating can be checked on the GST portal or through a GST software.

The GST compliance rating has several benefits for the taxpayers as well as the government. Some of them are:

• It encourages taxpayers to be more compliant and punctual with their GST obligations
• It creates a healthy competition and reputation among the taxpayers
• It helps taxpayers to avail faster refunds, provisional credits, and other incentives
• It helps taxpayers to attract more customers and suppliers who prefer compliant vendors
• It helps taxpayers to avoid audits, inspections, notices, penalties, and other actions by the GST authorities
• It helps the government to improve the tax collection and administration
• It helps the government to identify and monitor the non-compliant or fraudulent taxpayers

GST registration helps you in many ways. Some of the benefits of GST registration are:

• It eliminates the cascading effect of tax, which means you don't have to pay tax on tax.
• It simplifies the tax structure and reduces the compliance burden for businesses.
• It allows you to claim input tax credit (ITC) for the taxes paid on inputs used in the production or supply of goods and services.
• It enhances your credibility and trust among customers and suppliers, as GST registration is mandatory for businesses with turnover above a certain threshold.
• It enables you to access a larger market and expand your customer base, as you can sell goods and services across states without any restrictions.
• It improves your cash flow and competitiveness, as you can get faster refunds and provisional refunds based on your GST rating.
• It facilitates online transactions and e-commerce, as GST is a digital tax system that can be easily tracked and verified.

GST compliance rating is a score determined by the GST tax department for every person registered under GST based on their compliance record. It is similar to the CIBIL score used for rating an individual’s creditworthiness. The rating is updated periodically and can be checked at the public domain.

Some of the factors that affect GST rating are:

• Timely filing of GST returns.
• Timely payment of GST tax, penalty and other dues.
• Cooperation with requests of GST authorities.
• Filing of other documents as required under GST rules and regulations.
• History of promoters in maintaining compliance for related entities.

Some of the benefits of having a high GST rating are:

• Faster refunds and provisional refunds.
• Higher credibility and trust among customers and suppliers.
• Better access to credit and financing options.
• Lower risk of audits and inspections.

To improve your GST rating, you should

• File your returns and other information on time.
• Make timely and accurate tax payments.