Settle sales tax disputes below Rs 1 cr: Fast-track benches to be set up in Jan

Kolkata: The state government will be setting up fast-track benches in January to settle disputes related to sales tax below Rs 1 crore.

"The decision has been taken to set up the fast track benches that will start functioning from January onward to settle sales tax related disputes of below Rs 1 crore," said an officer of the state Finance

department.

The matter related to sales tax is dealt by the Directorate of Commercial Tax of the state government and the decision to set up the fast track benches to settle the disputes have been taken to clear the pending cases that will lead to dual benefits. The reason being the pending cases will get resolved and it will also help in generation of revenue as well, a state government officer opined.

The process to identify the cases that can be resolved in the fast track benches has been initiated and subsequent steps in this regard will be taken up once the number of cases gets assessed, the officer said adding that there will be four fast track benches details of which will be provided shortly.

Meanwhile, the State Goods and Service Tax (SGST) in Bengal stood at Rs 2,400 crore in the month of November. The SGST collection had started improving in the month of September after a long span when the economy had nosedived due to the Covid situation.

In November this year, the state has witnessed at least 3 to 4 percent increase in SGST collection compared to that of in the corresponding month

in 2019.

However, the SGST collection in the state was Rs 2,500 crore in the month of October.

The hike in the SGST collection is the outcome of the robust economic policy of the Mamata Banerjee government despite fighting against Covid

and supercyclone Amphan simultaneously.