Chartered Accountants have been instrumental in ensuring the successful rollout and strengthening of India's GST regime, said Mayank Kumar, principal chief commissioner of Central GST and Customs, Pune Zone.
He was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day national GST conference organised by the GST and Indirect Tax Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) in association with the ICAI Pune branch. The conference, which concludes on Wednesday, brought together tax professionals, policymakers and industry experts to discuss reforms and challenges in the evolving GST landscape.
Kumar emphasised that the GST Council has been actively introducing amendments to simplify procedures and enhance overall efficiency. "Such conferences help CAs stay updated with the evolving framework," he said, noting that regular policy changes make professional knowledge upgradation essential.
He also highlighted that the GST Council reviews the tax regime every month, ensuring timely updates to address sectoral issues. With GST collections rising sharply in recent months, the government has introduced changes aimed at providing relief to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and improving taxpayer convenience.
However, Kumar also expressed concern over the growing number of irregularities in input tax credit (ITC) claims, a key area of enforcement focus for tax authorities. He urged chartered accountants to act as frontline gatekeepers in preventing malpractices and strengthening compliance.
As GST enters a more mature phase, Kumar said the role of CAs will continue to be crucial in maintaining transparency, supporting taxpayers, and ensuring smooth administration of the country's most significant indirect tax reform.
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