Finance Minister Atishi outlined the State Government’s initiative to enhance the administration of Goods and Services Tax ( GST ), aiming for a seamless and faceless system.
“In the fiscal year 2023-24, the tax collection for GST and VAT until January 2024 exhibited a growth of 13.96 per cent compared to the previous year ( until January 2023 ), reaching Rs 31,445 crores,” she reported.
The government’s next focus is to modernize the IT infrastructure of GST and make the entire GST Tax administration faceless, she added.
The Finance Minister disclosed that the government is collaborating with IIT Hyderabad on developing data analytics and automation software. This initiative aims to utilize AI and data analytics for tracking, monitoring, and simplifying the refund process, reducing processing time and file errors.
Despite a slight decrease in the budget estimate from the previous year, Atishi emphasized Delhi’s “unique” fiscal situation. She highlighted the state’s ability to maintain a fiscal surplus while offering free facilities such as electricity, water, and bus rides for women.
Providing insights into the tax landscape, Atishi shared that Delhi has a total of 7.88 lakh GST taxpayers, with 4.82 lakh falling under the jurisdiction of the state government.
“The government conducted 167 special audits, uncovering a tax deficiency of Rs 5,321 crore. Additionally, field verification led to the suspension of 2,911 fake firms and the discovery of tax evasion amounting to Rs 1,316 crore,” the minister reported. The budget estimates for 2024-25 allocate Rs 6,400 crore to state excise revenue, with other major components including stamps and registration ( Rs 7,750 crore ) and taxes on motor vehicles ( Rs 3,600 crore ).
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