Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has asked the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to make the Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration easier, seamless, and more transparent for taxpayers, using technology and risk-based parameters. Sitharaman reviewed the performance of Customs and CGST zones on key indicators. She directed the zones to prepare an action plan to improve various parameters, such as GST registration, processing of refunds, and handling taxpayers’ grievances.
She also directed the CGST formations to launch targeted awareness campaigns among taxpayers, trade associations, and industry bodies regarding the mandatory documentation required for GST registration, particularly those related to the principal place of business. This would help reduce rejections and delays in registration and enable faster processing of applications. Moreover, she directed CGST Zonal Heads to have a dedicated helpdesk for GST registrations to facilitate the taxpayers in the application process. She also highlighted the need to ensure that GST Seva Kendras and Customs Turant Suvidha Kendras are well-staffed, accessible, and properly maintained so that taxpayers receive timely and quality assistance.
Emphasising taxpayer trust, she called for a targeted and sustained focus on grievance redressal, ensuring the timely resolution of queries and complaints through improved systems and accountability. She also underlined the need for the speedy closure of investigations for Customs and CGST cases, and exhorted for an analysis on detection and recovery and to seek solutions to reduce the gap between detection and recovery. At the same time, she emphasised the need to prevent tax evasion and wrongful input tax credit (ITC) claims.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.