The Gujarat State Government has proposed an amnesty scheme to fast-track the resolution of over 20,000 pending tax litigations that existed before the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in State Budget 2019-20. The amnesty scheme will cover industries and traders as well.
While presenting the Budget 2019-20, the Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that, “Over 20,000 litigations pertaining to these taxes are pending at different stages. Government has received representation time and again from the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other Trade Associations, requesting the State Government to introduce an Amnesty Scheme for effective and speedy disposal of these cases, which will help the Government to recover the old dues and reduce administrative expenditure. The dealers will also get relief”.
He also said that, “Under the Amnesty Scheme, dues pertaining to Sales Tax, VAT, Motor Spirit Tax, CST, Entry Tax, Sugarcane Purchase Tax will be covered. If the outstanding amount of tax is paid during the period of the Amnesty Scheme, liberal relief will be granted in interest and penalty”.
The benefit of the scheme will be available to those dealers against whom the original demand is less than ` 100 crore.
The Amnesty Scheme will be operative for a period of six months beginning from 15-8-2019. The detailed scheme will be announced shortly.
