GSTN to hold contest to showcase GST reforms across country

Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) will hold a month long contest for representing the various initiatives and reforms taken by the government on GST and movement of goods across the country in video or static formats.
The IT backbone provider of GST has invited entries in form of videos (animation, tutorials, short-films etc.) of 30-120 seconds or static graphics and has suggested topics such as GST – One nation, one tax, one market; GST and reduced taxes on micro, small and medium scale enterprises; GST and automated compliance; GST and reduction of monthly household budget; movement of goods without check posts and even the process of registering or filing returns on the GST portal.

The entries can also represent better input credits to businesses under GST and the benefits to taxpayers, consumers and the country through the reforms.

“Any citizen of India can participate in their contest. Each participant can send more than one entry on any of the topics above. One participant (person) will be entitled for one prize only for all the entries sent by them him or her,” the agency said in a statement on Saturday.

The contest begins from September 15 and entries will be allowed till October 15, the agency has specified.

Contestants can win 25 cash prizes worth about Rs 5 lakh, where the first prize will be Rs 1 lakh, followed by four second prizes of Rs 50,000 each and 20 third prizes worth Rs 10,000 each, GSTN said in the announcement.

Evaluation of the entries will be based on the impact created on GST tax payers and eco-system by the content, through various platforms such as social media, webinar etc. Therefore, number of views, likes and shares will be one of the criteria for selection of the winner.

GSTN will have the right to use the entries for public education and awareness and to that extent Intellectual Property of the videos and static graphics will vest with GSTN, the agency has added.