The sales tax department has unearthed tax evasion by a city café after customers uploaded their bills from the eatery under the ‘bill lao inam pao’ scheme which were not reflected in government records. According to deputy commissioner of state taxes (DCST), Ludhiana 3, Darvir Raj Kaur, a team of assistant commissioner of state taxes (ACST) along with state tax officers and supporting staff conducted an inspection after customers uploaded their bills from the aforementioned cafe. As part of its ongoing efforts to curb tax evasion and plug revenue leakage, the sales tax department has been scrutinising returns based on information uploaded by the general public, establishing a collaborative exercise between the public and the department. The ‘bill layo inam pao’ scheme, an initiative introduced by the Punjab government, aims to encourage consumers to collect bills from dealers following their purchase of goods. By promoting consumer awareness of the importance of obtaining bills, the scheme has proven beneficial for the GST department, resulting in increased billing and subsequently boosting state taxes.

Source: Hindustan Times January 09, 2024 12:49 UTC