On November 7th 2023, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched 12 GST Seva Kendras (GSKs) in Vapi, Gujarat. She also gave away prize cheques worth Rs 10 lakh each to 6 customers who won under the ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar’ scheme by uploading valid GST bills after making purchases.
Speaking at the launch event, Finance Minister Sitharaman emphasized that these modern service centers will boost Ease of Doing Business in India. She congratulated Gujarat for taking the lead in setting up such facilities, hoping they serve as a role model for other states to emulate.
Sitharaman was joined by Gujarat Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai and CBIC Chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal. She highlighted that asking for bills is a consumer right and generating invoices is the trader’s duty. Incentives like the Mera Bill scheme will normalize billing practices and encourage voluntary compliance.
The Finance Minister explained that these incentives motivate more citizens to demand bills from sellers, upholding the billing culture. Uploading bills also allows common people to contribute to the GST system and the nation’s development.
Desai thanked Sitharaman for providing the GST Seva Kendras on Diwali. He credited her emphasis on cooperative federalism as GST Council Chairperson for the smooth GST implementation, despite initial concerns.
The 12 new GST Seva Kendras launched are situated in major Gujarat cities including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Godhra, Vapi, Mehsana, Palanpur, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Gandhidham.
These facilities provide dedicated taxpayer services and assistance regarding GST compliance issues. This strengthens GST implementation and promotes voluntary compliance among businesses.
The Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar incentive scheme was launched on September 1, 2023. It aims to normalize invoice generation practices by encouraging consumers to demand bills and upload them to a portal after purchases.
6 winners who uploaded valid GST invoices after making purchases were felicitated at the launch. They received prize cheques of Rs 10 lakh each from the Finance Minister. This incentive motivates citizens to participate in the billing campaign.
The scale of the campaign and participation highlights the success of GST adoption just a few years after implementation. Finance Minister Sitharaman noted Gujarat’s business environment has particularly benefited from GST’s efficiency.
The launch demonstrates the government’s commitment to improving India’s business climate and ease of compliance. The GST Seva Kendras will provide centralized support to taxpayers across major Gujarat cities.
Meanwhile, innovative schemes like Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar boost voluntary compliance among businesses and participation among citizens. This creates a culture of billing and transparency for India’s GST success story.