BHUBANESWAR: Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Thursday said the proposed simplification of GST registration with clear guidelines and practical tools and tips will particularly benefit small businesses and taxpayers in rural and semi-urban areas.
Attending the 57th meeting of the GST Council, representing Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Harichandan presented the state’s perspective on key reforms. The meeting presided over by Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was held in New Delhi.
It discussed reforms to make GST simpler, faster, transparent and easier for taxpayers to comply with, supporting economic growth and the vision of “Viksit Bharat by 2047”. The proposed reforms are particularly aimed at reducing compliance difficulties for small businesses, MSMEs and genuine taxpayers.
Harichandan said a major proposal was system-based processing and sanction of refunds, enabling genuine taxpayers to receive refunds faster with greater transparency.
Proposals to allow refund of Input Tax Credit (ITC) on capital goods used for zero-rated supplies and ITC on input services and capital goods under inverted duty structure will benefit exporters and help manufacturers unlock working capital, he added.
“The recommendations on GST return filing and an alternative mechanism for correcting liabilities and ITC, developed by the working group on GST returns and processes, of which the Odisha State GST team is a member, will reduce mismatches and unnecessary notices,” the minister said.
Odisha also contributed to other process-based refund reforms through the GST Law Committee, Harichandan said and added that the proposal to remove arrest provisions for economic offences adequately addressable under GST law will strengthen the balance between enforcement and taxpayer confidence.
“These reforms will promote ease-of-doing business and ease of compliance, making the GST regime more predictable, transparent, taxpayer-friendly and responsive. They will also provide significant relief and support to MSMEs and small businesses in Odisha, enabling them to comply more easily and focus on growth and expansion,” Harichandan said.
Chief ministers, Finance ministers and nominated ministers of states and Union Territories, along with senior officials of the central and state governments, participated in the meeting.