[2020] GTI 378 (AAR-Hyd)
[IN THE AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULINGS, HYDERABAD]
HON’BLE J. LAXMINARAYANA & HON’BLE B. RAGHU KIRAN, MEMBER
TSAAR Order No. 07/2020 A.R.Com/22/2018
Dated. 29.6.2020.
LEVY OF GST—SUPPLY OF FOOD BY THE APPLICANT TO HOSPITALS ON OUTSOURCE BASIS—HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY A CLINICAL ESTABLISHMENT AND FOOD SUPPLIED TO THE PATIENTS—CIRCULAR NO.32/06/2018-GST, DATED 12.2.2018 AT SI. NO. 5(3)
HELD.—
In the case at hand, the Applicant is engaged in supplying food and beverages at the canteen of their customers. The Applicant himself does not get paid for by the consumers of the food and beverages. The Recipient of the services are hospitals who enter into contract with the applicant. The charges are received from the hospitals on monthly basis on the coupons collected. In short, it is deciphered that the Applicant is vested with management of the canteen facilities. Supply of food is classified under Service Code No. 9963. We have examined the relevant notifications providing exemption to services and found that the services rendered by the applicant are not taxable. The exemption is available as per the entry of the above notification only when the clinical establishment itself provides this service (supply of food) as a part of health care services to the in-patients and the same is not available, when such supply of food and beverages is made by a person other than clinical establishment based on a contractual arrangement with such establishment Circular No. 32/06/2018 dated 12.2.2018 supports this view – GST is payable on supply of the services by the applicant to Hospitals and no exemption is provided in r/o the same.
In the instant case, as per the contract furnished by the applicant, it is seen that the applicant prepares food using his own labour at the premises of hospitals, who are the recipient of the service, and the applicant supply food to consumers who don’t make payment to the applicant. The applicant is paid only by the hospitals. The above GST Council discussions and decisions clearly differentiate a restaurant/ canteen / mess run independently and the services extended by the applicant which fall under the category of outdoor catering. The very likely scenario of Outdoor Caterer trying to call himself as a ’restaurant’ has been discussed and the decision to lower the tax rate only to restaurants has been taken by the council. Therefore, the supply of food by the applicant in the premises of client, whether prepared in that place or brought and served is more appropriately covered by the description at Sl. No. 7(v) of the Notification No. 11/2017- State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 and is liable to tax at 9% CGST and 9% SGST.
Sl.No 7(v) now only covers supply at functions which are occasional and event based. The supply of food to institutions which were earlier covered under entry at l.No.7(v) has been included under Sl.No. 7(i) – In the instant case the applicant is making supply of services in the dining space of the hospitals which is squarely covered in the Explanation 1 to Sl.No 7(i) and thereupon is liable to tax at the rate of 5% subject to the condition that credit of input tax charged on goods and services used in supplying the services has not been taken.
The above Notification No. 13/2018 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 171, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 20.8.2018 was slightly amended vide Notification No. 27/2018 – In terms of the above amendment, from 1.10.2019, the supply of food by the applicant to hospitals fall under entry no. (ii) of S. No. 7 of Not. No. 11/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 and is subject to 5% GST with the condition of non-availability of input tax credit – the supply of food to hospitals by the applicant depends on the time period (during which they are supplied) and will be subjected to tax as per the provisions of Not. No. 11/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 amended from time to time.
Under Section 100(1) of the CGST/TGST Act, 2017, any person aggrieved by this order can prefer an appeal before the Telangana State Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling, Hyderabad, within 30 days from the date of receipt of this Order.
At the outset, we would like to make it clear that the provisions of both the Central Goods and Service Tax Act and the Telangana Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 are the same except for certain provisions. Therefore, unless a mention is specifically made to such dissimilar provisions, a reference to the Central Goods and Service Tax Act would also mean a reference to the same provisions under the Telangana Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017.
ORDER
A personal hearing was held in this case and the assesse have appeared for personal hearing on 9.11.2018. However due to administrative exigencies, the Orders were not released. Further Government Go. Rt.No.312, Revenue (CT.II) Department, dated 5.11.2019 have appointed Sri B. Raghu Kiran, IRS, Joint Commissioner (Central Tax) as member in place of Sri V. Srinivas, IRS, Additional Commissioner (Central Tax). Hence another notice was issued to the applicant to appear for Personnel Hearing on 4.12.2019. The Authorised representative Sri. G. Ashok Kumar appeared and explained their case as under:
a. The Authorised representative has submitted that, the applicant / Assessee is doing the following nature of business:
* As per the Notification No. 8/2017- Integrated Tax(Rate), dated 28.6.2017 as per the Chapter 99 Section 6HSN Code 9963 Para (V) Supply, by way of or as part of any service or in any other manner whatsoever in outdoor catering wherein goods, being food or any other article for human consumption or any drink (whether or not alcoholic liquor for human consumption), as part of such outdoor catering and such supply or service is for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration the rate of tax is 18%.
* The Hospital Authorities have filed a letter to Commissioner (ST) for clarification of rate of tax under GST regarding supply of food to Hospital. The Commissioner (ST) vide letter CCTs Ref No. A(1)/15/2018 dated 5.2.2018 replied to the Hospital Authorities regarding rate of GST on food and beverage services will be chargeable as per Notification No.11 of 2017 and advised to file an application for clarification on Advance Ruling before Advance Ruling Authority for authenticity.
8. Further, it was also contended that the Government of India ministry of Finance Department of Revenue Tax research unit has given certain clarification regarding levy of GST on health care services provided by a clinical establishment and food supplied to the patients as per Circular No.32/06/2018-GST, dated 12.2.2018 at Sl. No. 5(3) as under:
| Sl.No. | Issue | Clarification |
| 5 | (3) Food supplied to the patients: Health care services | (3) Food supplied to the in-patients as advised by the |
| provided by the clinical establishments will include | doctor/ nutritionists is a part of composite supply of | |
| food supplied to the patients; but such food may be | heath care and not separately taxable. Other supplies | |
| prepared by the canteens run by the hospitals or may | of food by a hospital to patients (not admitted) or their | |
| be outsourced by the Hospitals form outdoor caterers. | attendants or visitors are taxable. | |
| When outsourced, there should be no ambiguity that | ||
| the supplier shall charge tax as applicable and hospital | ||
| will get no ITC. If hospitals have their owncanteens | ||
| and prepare their own food, then no ITC will be | ||
| available on inputs including capital goods and in turn | ||
| if they supply food to the doctors and their staff; such | ||
| supplies, even when no charged, may be subjected to | ||
| GST. | ||
9. Further, it was brought to the notice of committee members that recently the Central Board of Excise and Customs & Commercial Taxes Department of States/Union Territories clarified the rate of Tax as under
| Restaurant under composition scheme | Composition Levy @ 5% of the turnover |
| All stand-alone Restaurants(Air-conditioned Or otherwise) | 5% (without ITC) |
| Restaurants in hotel premises having room Tariff of less | 5% (without ITC) |
| than Rs. 7,500 per unit per day | |
| Restaurants in hotel premises having room Tarif of Rs. | 18%(Full ITC) |
| 7,500 and above per unit per day (even for a single room) | |
| Is there any restaurant where the rate of Tax is 28%? | No |
| Rate of tax on takeaway | As applicable on serving of Food for consumption on |
| Premise of that restaurant | |
| Outdoor Catering | 18%(Full ITC) |
12. We find that entry 74 of Notification No. 12/2017 deals with exemption to the services provided by clinical established which is read as under :
| | Nil | Nil |
From the above, it can be inferred that exemption is available as per the entry of the above notification only when the clinical establishment itself provides this service (supply of food) as a part of health care services to the in-patients and the same is not available, when such supply of food and beverages is made by a person other than clinical establishment based on a contractual arrangement with such establishment Circular No. 32/06/2018 dated 12.2.2018 supports this view.
Therefore we hold that GST is payable on supply of the services by the applicant to Hospitals and no exemption is provided in r/o the same.
13. To decide the rate of tax in r/o the supply of services by the applicant, reference is to be made to Notification No. 11/2017- State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 which provides the rates of tax in respect of various services. The extracts of relevant entries dealing with the services supplied by the applicant are as follows:
| 7 | H e a d i n g | 9 9 6 3 | (i) Supply, by way of or as part of any service or in any other manner | 6 | – |
| ( A c c o r nm o da tro4 | whatsoever, of goods, being food or any other article for human | ||||
| food and | beverage | consumption or drink, where such supply or service is for cash, deferred | |||
| services) | payment or other valuable consideration, provided by a restaurant, eating | ||||
| joint including mess, canteen, neither having the facility of air-conditioning | |||||
| or central air-heating in any part of the establishment, at any time during | |||||
| the year nor having licence or permit or by whatever name called to serve | |||||
| alcoholic liquor for human consumption. | |||||
| (v) Supply, by way of or as part of any service or in any other manner | 9 | – | |||
| whatsoever in outdoor catering wherein goods, being food or any other | |||||
| article for human consumption or any drink (whether or not alcoholic liquor | |||||
| for human consumption), as a part of such outdoor catering and such supply | |||||
| or service is for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration | |||||
14. The tax rates under SI. No. 7 came under Scrutiny and the same was taken up by the council for consideration. Tax Structure of different categories of Restaurants, with a view to their possible rationalization / reduction was mandated to be examined. The same was examined at the 23rd Meeting of the GST Council held on 11th November 2017.The council discussed the various aspects involved in respect of the rate of tax on the supply is reproduced below:
15. Accordingly, Notification No. 11/2007 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 was amended vide Notification No. 46/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 280, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 12.12.2017 as mentioned below:
(ii) against serial number 7,-
| (3) | (4) | (5) |
| (i) Supply, by way of or as part of any service or in any other | 2.5 | Provided that credit of input tax |
| manner whatsoever, of goods, being food or any other article for | charged on goods and services used in | |
| human consumption or drink, where such supply or service is for | supplying the service has not been | |
| cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration, provided | taken [Please refer to Explanation no. | |
| by a restaurant, eating joint including mess, canteen, whether for | (iv)].;And no amendment was made in | |
| consumption on or away from the premises where such food or any | Sl. No 7(v) of Notification No. 11/2017 | |
| other article for human consumption or drink is supplied, other than | State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. | |
| those located in the premises of hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, | 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, | |
| campsites or other commercial places meant for residential or | dated 29..6.2017. | |
| lodging purposes having declared tariff of any unit of accommo- | ||
| dation of seven thousand five hundred rupees and above per unit | ||
| per day or equivalent. | ||
| Explanation.- declared tariff includes charges for all amenities | ||
| provided in the unit of accommodation (given on rent for stay) like | ||
| furniture, air conditioner, refrigerators or any other amenities, but | ||
| without excluding any discount offered on the published charges | ||
| for such unit. | ||
Rationalize entry relating to composite supply of food and drinks in restaurant, mess, canteen, eating joints and such supplies to institutions (educational, office, factory, hospital) on contractual basis at GST rate of 5%; and making it clear that the scope of outdoor catering under 7(v) is restricted to supplies in case of outdoor/indoor functions that are event based and occasional in nature.
19. To effect the above decision of the Council, the Notification No. 46/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 280, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 12.12.2017 was amended vide Notification No. 13/2018 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 171, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 20.8.2018 as follows:
In the said notification, in the Table:-
(ii) against serial number 7,-
| (3) | (4) | (5) | ||
| (i) Supply, by way of or as part of any service, of goods, being food or any other | 2.5 | Provided | that credit | of |
| article for human consumption or any drink, provided by a restaurant, eating joint | input tax | charged | on | |
| including mess, canteen, whether for consumption on or away from the premises | goods and services used | |||
| where such food or any other article for human consumption or drink is supplied, | in supplying the service | |||
| other than those located in the premises of hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, | h a s n o t | b e e n t a k e n | ||
| campsites or other commercial places meant for residential or lodging purposes | [ P l e a s e | r e f e r | t o | |
| having declared tariff of any unit of accommodation of seven thousand five | Explanation no. (iv)] | |||
| hundred rupees and above per unit per day or equivalent. | ||||
| Explanation 1.-This item includes such supply at a canteen, mess, cafeteria or | ||||
| dining space of an institution such as a school, college, hospital, industrial unit, | ||||
| office, by such institution or by any other person based on a contractual | ||||
| arrangement with such institution for such supply, provided that such supply is | ||||
| not event based or occasional. | ||||
In the said notification,-
(i) in the Table, –
However, Notification No. 11/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 was totally revamped as per the 37th GST Council Meeting held on 20.9.2019 and Notification No. 20/2019-CT (Rate), dated 30.9.2019, was issued which is as under :-
In the said Notification, (i) in the Table:-
| (3) | (4) | (5) |
| “(i) Supply of ‘hotel accommodation’ having value of supply of a | 6 | – |
| unit of accommodation above one thousand rupees but less than or | ||
| equal to seven thousand five hundred rupees per unit per day or | ||
| equivalent. | ||
| (ii) Supply of ‘restaurant servic’e other than at specified premises | 2.5 | Provided that credit of input tax |
| charged on goods and services used in | ||
| supplying the service has not been | ||
| taken [Please refer to Explanation no. | ||
| (iv)] | ||
| (iii) Supply of goods, being food or any other article for human | 2.5 | Provided that credit of input tax |
| consumption or any drink, by the Indian Railways or Indian | charged on goods and services used in | |
| Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. or their licen- | supplying the service has not been | |
| sees, whether in trains or at platforms. | taken [Please refer to Explanation no. | |
| (iv)] | ||
| (iv) Supply of ‘outdoor catering’, at premises other than ‘specified | 2.5 | Provided that credit of input tax |
| premise’s provided by any person other than- | charged on goods and services used in | |
| supplying the service has not been | ||
| taken [Please refer to Explanation (iv)] | ||
| (a) suppliers providing hotel accommodation at specified premises, | ||
| or | ||
| (b) suppliers located in ‘specified premises’. | ||
| (v) Composite supply of ‘outdoor catering’ together with renting | 2.5 | Provided that credit of input tax |
| of premises (including hotel, convention center, club, pandal, | charged on goods and services used in | |
| shamiana or any other place, specially arranged for organising a | supplying the service has not been | |
| function) at premises other than specified premises provided by | taken [Please refer to Explanation (iv)] | |
| any person other than- | ||
| (a) suppliers providing‘ hotel accommodation’ at specified prem- | ||
| ises, or | ||
| (b) suppliers located in ‘specified premises’. | ||
| (vi) Accommodation, food and beverage services other than (i) to | 9 | -“; |
| (v) above Explanation: | ||
| (a) For the removal of doubt, it is hereby clarified that, supplies | ||
| covered by items (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) in column (3) shall attract | ||
| State tax prescribed against them in column (4) subject to condi- | ||
| tions specified against them in column (5), which is a mandatory | ||
| rate and shall not be levied at the rate as specified under this entry. | ||
| (b) This entry covers supply of ‘restaurant service’ at ‘specified | ||
| premises’ | ||
| (c) This entry covers supply of ‘hotel accommodation’ having | ||
| value of supply of a unit of accommodation above seven thousand | ||
| five hundred rupees per unit per day or equivalent. | ||
| (d) This entry covers supply of ‘outdoor catering’, provided by | ||
| suppliers providing ‘hotel accommodatio’n at specified premises, | ||
| or suppliers located in ‘specified premises’. | ||
| (e) This entry covers composite supply of ‘outdoor catering’ to- | ||
| gether with renting of premises (including hotel, convention center, | ||
| club, pandal, shamiana or any other place, specially arranged for | ||
| organising a function) provided by suppliers providing hotel ac- | ||
| commodation at specified premises, or suppliers located in speci- | ||
| fied premises. | ||
22. In terms of the above amendment, from 1.10.2019, the supply of food by the applicant to hospitals fall under entry no. (ii) of S. No. 7 of Not. No. 11/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 and is subject to 5% GST with the condition of non-availability of input tax credit.
23. Thus, the supply of food to hospitals by the applicant depends on the time period (during which they are supplied) and will be subjected to tax as per the provisions of Not. No. 11/2017 – State Tax (Rate), issued in G.O.Ms No. 110, Revenue (CT-II) Department, dated 29.6.2017 amended from time to time.
In view of the forgoing facts, the Ruling is given as under :
Ruling
Question 1.
Whether the food supplied to hospital i.e. Government Hospitals, Private Hospitals and Autonomous Bodies on outsourcing basis the GST is chargeable? If GST is chargeable what is the tax rate?
Ansswer:
Yes
Question 2.
If no GST is chargeable on the supply of food the GST already paid by the Hospitals and remitted to Government is recoverable from my future Bills.
Answer:
For the period from 1.7.2017to 26.7.2018 18% (CGST 9%+SGST 9%)
For the period from 27.7.2018 onwards 5% (CGST 2.5% + SGST 5%)
Provided that credit of input tax charged on goods and services used in supplying the service has not been taken.
***