Simplified GST Registration Process From 1 November, Will Benefit 96 Per Cent Of New Applicants: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday (24 October) credited GST reforms for driving "euphoric buying and selling" during the festive season and urged officials to simplify procedures for honest taxpayers while cracking down on the dishonest, reported The Times Of India.

Inaugurating the new Central GST building in Ghaziabad, she announced that a simplified GST registration process will be implemented for two categories of taxpayers beginning 1 November, with clearances provided within three working days.

She said, "This single reform is expected to benefit 96 per cent of the new applicants. Task of the field formation is to operationalise it without friction."

Addressing operational problems, the minister urged tax officers to leave behind the pre-GST mindset and aggressively encourage complying taxpayers.

"It is important that you remain polite. The next-generation GST is not just about rates, slabs and simplification. It should make the taxpayer feel different," she said, cautioning that courtesy should not weaken enforcement.

Sitharaman added, "The motto for disciplinary matters, therefore, should be galat kiya hai toh khair nahin, sahi kiya toh koi bair nahin."

Her remarks come in the backdrop of the recent controversy over customs officials in Chennai seeking bribe to clear consignments, which prompted the finance ministry to order an enquiry and came with an assurance that the guilty, including intermediaries, will not be spared.

The minister instructed officers to leverage technology for faster registration approvals and grievance redressal, and to "proactively" facilitate trade.

"There is no iron wall between you and the trader. There is thin air. You can understand where the difficulty is, rather than muddying it up any further," she said.

She emphasised the need of completing disciplinary actions against officials on time, noting that by doing so, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) would be sending a strong signal that misconduct, dereliction of duty, or unethical behavior would not be accepted.

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