<p>The <strong>Government of India</strong>, through <strong>Circular No. 221/15/2024-GST</strong>, issued on <strong>June 26, 2024</strong>, has clarified the <strong>time of supply for GST liability on construction and maintenance services</strong> for <strong>National Highway Projects under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)</strong>. This circular ensures <strong>uniformity in tax compliance</strong> for concessionaires working under NHAI contracts.</p><hr><h3><strong>1. Background of the Issue</strong></h3><ul><li>Under the <strong>Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM)</strong>, private concessionaires undertake <strong>construction, operation, and maintenance (O&M)</strong> of highways over <strong>15-17 years</strong>.</li><li>Payments are <strong>partially made upfront</strong> during the construction phase, with the remaining payments <strong>spread over time as annuities</strong>.</li><li><strong>Industry concerns:</strong> When should GST be paid on these <strong>deferred payments and annuities</strong>?</li></ul><hr><h3><strong>2. Clarification on Time of Supply</strong></h3><ul><li><strong>HAM contracts are considered as a single contract</strong> (construction + O&M), and the <strong>entire contract falls under "continuous supply of services"</strong> under <strong>Section 2(33) of the CGST Act</strong>.</li><li><strong>Time of supply is determined as follows:</strong><ol><li>If an <strong>invoice is issued on time</strong>, GST is payable on the <strong>invoice date</strong> or <strong>payment date</strong>, whichever is earlier.</li><li>If an <strong>invoice is NOT issued on time</strong>, GST is payable on the <strong>service provision date</strong> or <strong>payment date</strong>, whichever is earlier.</li><li>The <strong>due date of annuity payments</strong> is treated as the <strong>date of provision of service</strong> for tax purposes.</li></ol></li></ul><hr><h3><strong>3. GST on Interest Component in Annuities</strong></h3><ul><li>The <strong>installments/annuities paid by NHAI to concessionaires include interest</strong>.</li><li><strong>As per Section 15(2)(d) of the CGST Act</strong>, this <strong>interest component is also taxable</strong> and must be <strong>included in the GST valuation</strong>.</li></ul><hr><h3><strong>4. Implications for Concessionaires</strong></h3><ul><li><strong>GST is due periodically</strong> as per the contract milestones.</li><li><strong>Interest on annuity payments is taxable</strong>, increasing the total tax liability.</li><li><strong>Businesses must ensure timely invoicing</strong> to avoid tax complications.</li><li><strong>NHAI and concessionaires must align payment structures with GST compliance</strong>.<a href="https://cms.plasament.com/storage/nisha/circular-no-221-15-2024.pdf">circular-no-221-15-2024</a><br> </li></ul>