Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday called on GST officers to adopt a more empathetic, transparent and technology-driven approach while dealing with honest taxpayers. She emphasized that tax officials must remain courteous yet firm in enforcing compliance and ensure faster grievance redressal through digital means.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Central GST (CGST) building in Ghaziabad, FM Sitharaman said the ultimate goal of tax administration is to make life easier for honest 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.
The Finance Minister urged officers of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to "proactively" facilitate trade and adopt a human-centric approach in their dealings. "There is no iron wall between you and the trader, only thin air. You can understand where the difficulty lies rather than muddy it up any further," Sitharaman noted.
While advocating respect and fair treatment for honest taxpayers, she made it clear that misconduct or unethical behavior, whether by taxpayers or officers, will not be tolerated. "If you do wrong, you won't be forgiven; if you do right, you need not fear," she said, stressing the need for timely conclusion of disciplinary proceedings within the CBIC to uphold accountability and integrity in governance.
Highlighting the importance of technology, Sitharaman urged officers to leverage digital tools and risk-based systems to minimize compliance burdens during GST registration and grievance handling. "Technology and risk-based parameters must do the heavy lifting, not the taxpayer. We don't want field formations adding unnecessary onus on them," she said.
The Finance Minister also asked officials to map recurring taxpayer grievances in CGST zones and identify the root causes to prevent repetition. She emphasized that pending GST investigations should be concluded swiftly with well-reasoned, evidence-based orders to reduce litigation and bring greater trust in the system.
Reiterating her message, Sitharaman said: "Politeness should not be mistaken for weakness. Honest taxpayers must feel respected, while dishonest ones must face the consequences as per laid-down Standard Operating Procedures."
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