Highlighting the series of pathbreaking next-generation process reforms approved in the recent GST Council meet, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chairman Vivek Chaturvedi on Friday said the decisions were aimed at ushering a trust-based tax administration in the country. Chaturvedi was speaking at the trade meet and feedback session held here. Sanjay Mangal, Member (GST) CBIC; and Sandeep Puri, Chief Commissioner, CGST, Customs and Central Excise, Nagpur Zone; were seated on the dais. Chaturvedi said by dismantling procedural barriers, these reforms aim to foster an agile, self-reliant, and globally competitive Indian economy. Focusing on logistics and regional commerce, Chaturvedi highlighted major relief measures for transit operations that directly benefit logistics hubs like Nagpur and the MIHAN multimodal project.

 

“Routine transit inspections will be discontinued, permitting conveyances to be intercepted only on specific intelligence authorised by an officer not below the rank of Joint Commissioner. Moreover, inspections will strictly occur only in States where the supplier or recipient is registered, effectively ending disruptions in transit states and allowing seamless freight movement across state borders,” he said. Among the key reforms highlighted by him were the proposed withdrawal of arrest provisions under GST law, a higher threshold for prosecution, automated system-driven refunds, fewer manual touchpoints in tax administration, and stricter checks on vehicle inspections. The Member (GST), CBIC also outlined the proposed centralised administration of GST taxpayers under the Central Government and the introduction of faceless assessment. Over 150 representatives of trade, industry and professionals’ bodies took part in the event. Dr Dipen Agrawal, President of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT); CA Julfesh Shah, Chairman of Chamber of Small Industry Associations(COSIA), Vidarbha Chapter; CA Ritesh Mehta, Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVVC); Prashant Mohota, President of Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA); and others raised various issues related to the tax system and also gave suggestions.