Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 11: In a bid to facilitate ease of doing business, the commissioner of Central Excise & Central Tax, Mangaluru, S K Narayana Reddy, inaugurated the CGST Suvidha Kendra at the GST Taxpayers Facilitation Centre, located at the Ground Floor of C R Building, Attavara, Mangaluru, on Wednesday, September 11. The center aims to offer taxpayers convenient access to services and enhance their overall experience with GST-related processes.

The CGST department has streamlined its online GST registration process, allowing taxpayers to register via the GST portal. However, the rise in fraudulent registrations by some unscrupulous taxpayers, who misuse the system for fraudulent transactions, has prompted the need for more stringent measures to safeguard tax revenue and maintain the confidence of genuine taxpayers.

In response to this issue, the GST Council has implemented biometric-based Aadhar authentication in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Puducherry as a pilot initiative. Following the successful implementation in these states, the program is being expanded nationwide. In Karnataka, the Central Goods & Service Tax (CGST) and Commercial Taxes Department (CTD) have jointly notified 120 facilitation centres to support this initiative.

The biometric-based registration process targets high-risk applicants, identified through specific risk parameters. Such taxpayers are directed to undergo biometric authentication at designated GST Suvidha Kendras. The process involves capturing the applicant’s photograph and verifying original documents to ensure only genuine taxpayers can secure GST registration.

Speaking at the event, commissioner S K Narayana Reddy, assured that the Suvidha Kendra would provide GST registrants with easy and efficient access to the facilities offered, further enhancing the convenience for taxpayers in the region.

These facilitation centres have been set up across the state at various CGST and CTD offices to ensure wider coverage and accessibility.