business

Updated: Dec 17, 2019 16:23 IST

The government has given Rs 4.55 lakh crore Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection target in the remaining four months of the current financial year to the revenue department, two officials with direct knowledge of the matter said requesting anonymity.

“Revenue Secretary Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey had a video conference (VC) meeting with all the members of the boards - CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs) and CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes), Principal Chief Commissioners and Chief Commissioners and other senior officers on Monday, December 16, and is learnt to have told them that the GST target for the next four collection months are put at Rs 1.10 lakh crore for every month besides the target of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for one out of these four months,” one of the officials said.

Helped by government stimulus measures during the festive season, GST collection in November bounced back to the Rs 1 lakh crore mark after dropping below that level for three consecutive months amid a deceleration of overall economic growth. The GST collection last month stood at Rs 1,03,492 crore.

Officials said the revenue department is taking “concerted measures” to augment revenue collections for the next four months and has “exhorted” its senior officers including members of CBIC and CBDT, principal chief commissioners and chief commissioners and other field machinery to achieve tax targets both for direct and indirect taxes.

“Officers have been particularly urged to ensure that during such field enforcement drive and visits, no taxpayer is overreached or troubled,” the first official quoted above said.

Taxmen have been told that the corporate tax relief worth Rs 1.45 lakh crore should not be taken as an excuse for lesser direct tax collection target, officials said.

“Officers must exhort themselves to reach the target of Rs 13.5 lakh crore in the direct taxes (for 2019-20) as well,” the first official said.

Senior revenue officers, including members of CBIC and CBDT and other field machinery are urged to make field visits on a regular basis every week. The revenue secretary, despite pressures of budget preparation, will himself be visiting across the regions every weekend to monitor and peruse the collections efforts, officials said.

It is also learnt that the information of GST and income tax and other financial dealings will be shared and the tax evaders will be brought to book. If any taxpayer has missed out on sharing correct tax information, the person would be asked to file the revised return. Efforts are to exhort officers at all levels to maximise tax collection at the same time ensuring that genuine taxpayers are not troubled or harassed.

The GST officers have been told to make sure if the GSTR1 and GSTR3B are filed by the taxpayers failing which strict action such blocking of e-way bill, blocking of input tax credits and cancellation of registration could be taken. The industry and traders have been advised to ask its suppliers to timely file their GST returns including GSTR1 failing which buyers may not able to get input tax credits on those supplies for which tax has not been paid by their suppliers.

Also, the data from GST return information will be provided to income tax departments so that the cases of any suppression of turnover and income tax can be detected and proper tax can be recovered. Further, a drive will also be conducted to recover past arrears during the next three months.