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The State government is moving towards the use of data analytics in tax collection in the State. The objective is to make tax collection and payments more transparent and “dealer-friendly”. A data analytics cell in the Commercial Taxes Department would be created soon.
The Commercial Taxes Department organised a Trade Advisory Council (TAC) meeting here on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said that the government had chalked out plans to switch to data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect tax evasion. The new technologies would help in bringing down the physical inspections and stop “harassment” by field-level officials.
‘No targets for officials’
The government did not set any targets for the tax officials to fill the coffers as being propagated. The government would not encourage any harassment of the trade community by the officials, he asserted.
Mr. Reddy, however, cautioned that the trade should not follow unethical practices to evade taxes as it would land them in serious trouble. “The government is there to extend a helping hand to businessmen and traders as long as they are honest in paying taxes. A honeybee collects honey from a flower without damaging it. The government too will collect taxes in a similar manner,” he said, adding, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan and Jai Businessman is our slogan.”
Quarterly meets
The Minister said that the TAC would be organised once in three months to address the grievances of business people. The government would update the GST rules and regulations in Telugu also as requested by the trade. Some of the issues raised by the trade at the TAC had to be sorted out at the GST Council. The government would take up necessary steps in that direction, he added.
AP Planning Board Vice-Chairman Malladi Vishnu, Vijayawada (West) MLA Velampalli Srinivas, Tiruvur MLA Kokkiligadda Rakshana Nidhi, Mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi, Chief Commissioner (State Tax) Girija Sankar, Secretary (Finance) N. Gulzar, Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce president Konakalla Vidyadhara Rao and others spoke.
