CM wants state to be role model in GST collections

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday stressed that Andhra Pradesh should become a role model for the country in GST collections. He instructed officials to take strict measures to prevent tax evasion.

A coordination meeting of Central and state GST officials was held at the Chief Minister’s camp office, chaired by him. State finance special chief secretary Piyush Kumar, state taxes chief commissioner Babu A, and GST officials from both Centre and state attended the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister stressed the use of technologies like data analytics to prevent tax evasion. He said that efficient tax collection would contribute to national wealth, which should be used for public welfare and development.

Underlining the need for proper coordination between Central and state GST officials for the better realization of Goods & Services Tax (GST) in the state, the Chief Minister added that there should be a competitive action plan to match neighboring states in GST collections.

He said tax data should be analysed using data analytics, and even factors like electricity consumption should be considered to detect evasion.

The Chief Minister stressed that there should be no errors in GST registrations. The state government will soon build a data lake combining all departmental information in one place, which will also be shared with Central GST officials, he added.

He explained that if the state receives its rightful share of resources, there will be no need to approach the Centre for every small issue. He directed officials to work with organisations like Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to raise awareness and prevent tax evasion, and to act strictly if evasion continues.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that GST collections in the state increased by 3.4 per cent. They said that the upcoming GST tribunals in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada will help resolve tax disputes.

Central GST officials requested the Chief Minister to allot five acres of land in Amaravati for constructing the Central GST Zonal Office and residential quarters.