Businessmen registered on the GST network portal in Punjab’s Bathinda must display their GST number at their premises otherwise they will face a fine of up to Rs 50,000, according to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The CBIC is running a campaign for GST verification till September 15 and instructing all businessmen to strictly implement the GST number display rule.

The campaign aims to check the registration of all the businessmen registered in GST and to increase the GST collection. The district has been divided into 9 wards by the GST department, with about 14,000 firms. The businessmen are required to write their GST number on the main board or wall of their shops.

Assistance Excise and Taxation Commissioner (AETC) Kapil Jindal said there is a provision of a fine of Rs 50,000 (Rs 25,000 charged by the state government and Rs 25,000 charged by the Centre) on the traders who do not display their GST number. He stated that many businessmen are not following this rule and some are even collecting GST fraudulently from the customers.

Restaurant or dhaba owners with an annual turnover of less than 50 lakhs are included in the composite scheme and have no right to collect GST. But such small restaurants and dhabas also charge five per cent GST from the customers.

The taxation department will act strictly regarding this issue and will take action against those who do not comply. Under the campaign, officials are first going to those businessmen who have claimed input tax credits in excess of sales. The display of the GST number will help the officers investigate whether the tax is deposited by them or not.

Source: English Jagran