File tax returns by August 31: Naresh Penumaka

Visakhapatnam: Chief Commissioner of Customs and Central Tax, Andhra Pradesh, Naresh Penumaka on Friday said that trade facilitation centres and online facility provided to file returns without the involvement of middlemen.

At a media briefing, he came down heavily on the GST practitioners and middlemen for misusing the tax and those involved in submitting fake invoices and fraudulent Input Tax Credit claims. He urged all the taxpayers to comply with the law and file returns by August 31, the last date for the same.

Pertaining to filing of annual returns for 2017-18, Naresh said only 33,089 GSTR-9/9A/9C returns have been filed and the compliance was low. He requested the taxpayers to file their returns before the last date otherwise stringent action would be initiated against them.

Of the revenue target amounting Rs 50,026 crore allotted for the zone in paying indirect taxes last year, the officials said Rs 49,653 crore was realised. However, this year, the total target given to zone was Rs 58,222 crore and of which, Rs 16,037 crore has been realised till July 2019, the officials added.

Naresh said that many middlemen fail to deposit tax in government's account and misuse the amount. He said hardly 15 days were left to file the returns and appealed to all the traders and taxpayers to file them before August 31. In a move to benefit consumers, the National Anti-Profiteering Authority has been empowered to impose penalty equivalent to 10 per cent of the profiteered amount, he stated.

"GST council has approved a simplified GST Return for the normal taxpayers who have a turnover below Rs 5 crore. Customs is soon going to be paperless and ICEGATE e-payment system and online portals aid in facilitating ease of doing business, alleviating the involvement of middlemen," Naresh added.

Principal Commissioner, Visakhapatnam GST Faheem Ahmed and Principal Commissioner Visakhapatnam Customs D K Srinivas urged the taxpayers to utilise the outreach programmes organised by customs at the headquarters scheduled on August 20 at VASSIWA, Autonagar, August 23 at Visakhapatnam headquarters and in places like Kakinada and Rajamahendravaram and urged the taxpayers to approach the department for proper guidance.