VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh should become a role model for the country in GST collections, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said, instructing officials to implement strict measures to prevent evasion of taxes.
Chairing a coordination meeting of Central and State GST officials at his camp office in Undavalli on Friday, Naidu emphasised the use of robust technologies such as data analytics to prevent tax evasion.
He stressed that efficient tax collection would contribute to national wealth, which should be used for public welfare and development. He said that proper coordination between Central and State GST officials is key for improved GST realisation, adding that there should be a competitive action plan to match neighboring states in GST collections.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister directed GST officials to ensure there is no scope for tax fraud in Andhra Pradesh, stating that his government is striving to create an efficient system. He noted that Andhra Pradesh ranks 4th in the country in attracting investments and expressed his ambition to be the best in all sectors.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister mentioned that cities like Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh will be developed on par with Hyderabad, which contributes 75% of Telangana’s income. He stressed that there should be no errors in GST registrations and announced plans to build a data lake combining all departmental information in one place, which will also be shared with Central GST officials.
Naidu elaborated that if the State receives its rightful share of resources, there will be no need to approach the Centre for every small issue. He directed officials to work with organisations like CII to raise awareness and prevent tax evasion, and to act strictly if evasion still continues.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that GST collections in the State have increased by 3.4% and that the upcoming GST tribunals in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada will help resolve tax disputes.