The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) recently inaugurated the “GST & Customs Pavilion” at the 42nd India International Trade Fair (IITF) in New Delhi. The pavilion carries the theme of “CBIC – Uniting Markets, Bridging Borders” which aligns with the overall fair’s theme of “Vasudev Kutumbkam – United by Trade”.
Inauguration Event
The pavilion was inaugurated on November 15, 2023 by Shri Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Chairman of CBIC. The inauguration was attended by senior CBIC officials including Ms. V. Rama Mathew, Member of IT & Taxpayer Services, and Ms. Renu K. Jagdev, Director General of Taxpayer Services. During his address, Chairman Sh. Agarwal highlighted the various measures undertaken by CBIC towards liberalized tax policies, digitization of processes, and facilitation of ease of doing business for taxpayers.
Key Features of the Pavilion
The CBIC pavilion has several informative and interactive elements aimed at taxpayer education and awareness:
i) 6 Helpdesks: Dedicated helpdesks for GST, Customs, GSTN, ICEGATE and CBIC Mitra to guide taxpayers on rules, processes and grievance redressal.
ii) Tutorial Videos: Release of tutorial videos on GST registration, composition levy, and India’s AEO programme in 10 regional languages.
iii) Engaging Activities: Nukkad Natak shows, ventriloquist shows, quiz contests on GST and Customs, and children’s activities.
iv) Expert Talks: Thematic sessions by subject experts on important GST and Customs topics.
v) Career Guidance: A special counter for guiding youth about career opportunities in GST and Customs departments.
vi) CBIC Publications: Free circulation of brochures, guides and other CBIC publications.
Key Highlights
i) Chairman Sh. Agarwal emphasized resolving taxpayer issues as the top priority.
ii) Appreciated the efforts in showcasing CBIC’s multifaceted role, especially the VR game “Stop the Smuggler”.
iii) Stressed that GST has unified India as one market, while Customs bridges borders and facilitates trade.
iv) Pavilion to be open November 14-27, 2022 at Hall No. 5, Pragati Maidan.
The GST & Customs Pavilion at IITF 2023 aims to increase awareness and engagement on indirect tax policies and procedures through informative and interactive content.