Assam: Relief measures announced for small traders facing GST challenges

Small traders in Assam are set to receive much-needed support as the state government takes steps to address challenges related to Goods and Services Tax (GST) notices.

The Assam Cabinet has accepted the report of a specially formed sub-committee tasked with deliberating on this matter, demonstrating the government's commitment to easing the burden on small businesses.

The cabinet's key directions on this issue are comprehensive and time-bound. For the financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19, a total of 26,013 cases can be taken up for suo moto rectification under section 161 of the Assam GST Act 2017. This rectification process will be conducted on a case-to-case basis and must be completed within three months, all while staying within the ambit of the GST law.

For more recent cases pertaining to the financial years 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22, the cabinet has decided that notices generated based on Big Data Analytics Software (BDAS) shall be dealt with according to the guidelines of the new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). To prevent unnecessary harassment of small traders, the government has set a threshold of Rs 5 lakh for notices to be issued with the assistance of BDAS.

The cabinet expects these issues to be resolved judiciously within a three-month period. This approach aims to strike a balance between ensuring compliance with the GST framework and preventing undue harassment of taxpayers and traders. By addressing these concerns, the Assam government hopes to create a more business-friendly environment for small traders in the state.