Interview
next four-five months, we plan to sort this out. The
number of complaints being reported is far less today, and
the system has kind of stabilised.
On April 1 this year, we introduced the e-way bill
system - first for the inter-state, then for intra-state. We
had taken a batch of four-five states at a time. As a result,
we generated about seven crore e-way bills between
April-May – three crore for inter-state and four crore
for intra-state. In the first week of June, we had already
generated more than one crore e-way bills. On an average,
we estimate that 15 lakh e-way bills are already getting
generated every month. It will go up to four-five crore
e-way bills every month.
There are more than 1.14 crore new and migrated
dealers in the GSTN system today. Even though it is one
system, it is owned by the Centre and the states. It is a
great example of cooperative federalism.
Do you think there was adequate training and
education for GST roll-out?
Before 1 July 2017, certain amount of
awareness and education was done. In a
large system like ours, it takes time for an
idea to sink in and reach the last mile. No
one can claim that all the 1.14 crore dealers
were fully trained prior to July 1. A large
section of people have been trained and
more will be trained over a period of time.
a system that works well for 95 per cent of the people, there
will still be some who face unknown difficulties. For us,
each GSTN user is important and we have to solve his or
her problems.
Will GST filing be easy as filing income tax return?
We are continuously evaluating to make GST filing simple.
In the first few months of its launch, the forms were
lengthy. For example, if there was no sale or purchase
transaction in that (particular) month, why does one need
to go through a five-page form? In December, we changed
this and made them contextual.
Can GSTN manage cyber-attacks and data theft?
GSTN has a robust system and we take security very
seriously. It has two aspects - someone enters the system
to damage it and the other is denial of service because of a
cyber-attack. We follow the best security measures in the
world. The security scenario is however dynamic. What
is secure today may not be good enough tomorrow, so
we have to remain proactive and take
measures to stop such attacks.
357 crore invoices
processed
14 crore returns received
Any plans for a new accounting
software or app?
We are working on this. Tax preparation
software companies and tax accounting
agencies are being explored and we may
4.5 crore e-way bills to be
accredit or empanel them for the dealers.
generated every month
Earlier, there was a tax preparation
But even after six months, there is
software with separate accounting
discontentment in GST filing
system for sales, purchase and invoices.
It could be due to lack of familiarity with
The time has come to integrate both of them.
the new system. A person filing returns in Tamil Nadu
was using a certain system and had to switch to a new
system. In the new system, there are two possibilities.
What is your vision for the next one year and for
One, the person is unfamiliar with it and could make
the long term?
a genuine mistake, but how can one reverse it?
We have undertaken a massive exercise for simplification
Second, GSTN has to take certain actions. While of returns. The GST Council has taken a decision,
we work to reverse the mistakes, we had to
whereby people can file only one return. In the next
ensure that the system is not misused.
one year, it will be possible to upload invoices anytime
If you consider the total number of
whenever they get generated. The returns will be
returns being filed and compare it with
automatically prepared. All that the taxpayers need to
the number of people facing difficulty, by
do is click the required keys.
any standard, the number of complaints
The e-way bill system will also get stabilised. A
is minimal. How does one know if it is
huge data analytics will be undert aken, as it gives a
working? It is working because more than
lot of information. There are many honest taxpayers,
14 crore returns have been filed.
and then there are others who do not disclose all their
transactions. So all these outliers who are trying to cheat
the system are identified and appropriate actions are
So you are saying that GST as a process
proceeded or advised to bring them on the main track.
is evolving and challenges have to be
This will lead to better compliance and increase
addressed along the way…
in revenue.
Whenever a large system is designed, we need to
anticipate the kind of problems users will face. If I design
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1.3 crore people can log
simultaneously to GSTN
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