CHENNAI, INDIA, June 28, 2017 (Times of India): HPI NOTE: Further articles which we will run shortly describe the complex interaction of temple activities with the new Goods and Services Tax.
Devotees, who want to fulfil vows in various temples in Tamil Nadu besides sevas, special poojas and taking part in the ritual of pulling gold and silver chariots, will be spared of GST (Goods and Services Tax). This will continue even after GST is introduced on July 1. But, devotees who use lodgings offered by the state-run Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department in temple towns whose tariff is above 1,000 per day will have to pay more.
“Some sections in GST Act exempt temples from paying tax. This includes sevas and darshans in temples in places like Palani, Tiruchendur and Rameswaram. All prasadams, including the Palani panchamirtham, are also exempted under GST,” chartered accountant G Sekar told TOI. Meanwhile, the HR&CE department, which is managing 38,000 temples in Tamil Nadu, has asked the state government to waive GST on temples. “We have given a list based on the services in various temples in the state for which there should not be any tax. As of now, there is no tax or service charge on these services provided in temple. We want the situation to prevail after July 1,” said a senior HR&CE official.