THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With an aim to increase tax collection by 30%, the state GST department is gearing up for raids and assessment drives.

Finance minister T M Thomas Isaac inaugurated a workshop of senior tax officials here on Monday which charted out the action plan for the massive launching of the tax collection drive. 

The data analytics cell led by additional state GST commissioner Mohammed Y Safirulla will play a key role in identifying tax defaulters. GST commissioner Tinku Biswal and GST secretary P Venugopal will be overseeing the tax collection drive. 

As a first step, it has been decided to intensify the scrutiny of the annual returns submitted before August 1. The tax evasion will be capped through this scrutiny and steps will be taken to recover the tax. The defaulters of return submission will be penalized. The enforcement wing of the GST will be strengthened. 

The enforcement wing has been given the full charge to raid the establishments which has evaded tax payment. The additional commissioner of GST will be heading this enforcement wing. 

It has also been decided to deploy 100 squads in the border areas of the state to check the e-way bill. There will be revenue recovery if the arrears are mounting. For this, it has been decided to serve notices to those who have mounting arrears. 

The finance minister said it has been decided to take action against those who fail to submit GST returns. Till date no action was taken against the defaulters. But, now it has been decided to make mandatory to file GST returns. 

Some stringent actions will have to be taken to increase the tax collection. Hence, all the officials have been asked to foray into the tax collection drive intensely, Isaac added. 

Published On : 09-07-2019

Source : Times of India