Make GST Registration Seamless with Tech, Risk-Based Norms: Sitharaman Tells Tax Officials

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday called on tax officials to streamline the Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration process by leveraging technology and adopting risk-based parameters to make it more seamless and transparent.

Speaking at a high-level conclave of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in New Delhi, Sitharaman urged officials to draft an action plan to enhance efficiency in key areas such as GST registration, refund processing, and grievance handling.

The event was attended by principal chief commissioners, chief commissioners, director generals, and field officers of CBIC.

Key CBIC Performance Highlights

During the conclave, CBIC presented improvements across various customs and GST indicators. Notable highlights included:

• Grievance Redressal: Average grievance disposal time has dropped to 9 days, significantly ahead of the 21-day benchmark.

• Refunds: 85% of refund claims were processed within the 60-day statutory limit.

• GST Audits: Coverage increased from 62.21% in 2022–23 to 88.74% in 2024–25.

• GST Evasion Detection: Rose to ₹2.23 lakh crore in 2024–25, with voluntary payments amounting to ₹28,909 crore.

• Audit Repeat Rate: No taxpayer was audited more than once in a three-year period.

• Cargo Facilitation: Risk Management System facilitated 86% of cargo in 2025, up from 82% in 2022.

• Seized Gold Disposal: 2,140.35 kg of seized gold was handed over to SPMCIL in 2024–25.

Directives for Improved Taxpayer Services

Sitharaman instructed Central GST (CGST) units to launch targeted awareness drives for taxpayers, trade associations, and industry bodies regarding the required documentation for GST registration—especially documents related to the principal place of business. This, she said, would help reduce delays and rejection of applications.

She also directed CGST zonal heads to establish dedicated helpdesks to assist applicants with the GST registration process.

Stressing the importance of accessible taxpayer services, the finance minister asked that GST Seva Kendras and Turant Suvidha Kendras be fully staffed, well-maintained, and responsive to taxpayer needs. She underscored the importance of timely grievance resolution and building taxpayer trust through system improvements and accountability.

Additionally, she urged for faster closure of investigations in Customs and CGST cases and highlighted the need to bridge the gap between detection and recovery, while continuing efforts to curb tax evasion and false Input Tax Credit (ITC) claims.

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NTRS 2025 Released

During the event, Sitharaman also unveiled the fifth edition of the National Time Release Study (NTRS 2025), which tracks the efficiency of cargo clearance across various ports.

According to the finance ministry, the study recorded notable improvements in average release time (ART) between 2023 and 2025:

• Seaports: ART reduced by approximately 6 hours

• Air Cargo Complexes (ACCs): Down by about 5 hours

• Integrated Check Posts (ICPs): Decline of nearly 18 hours

• Inland Container Depots (ICDs): Slight increase of 12 hours

The NTRS, first launched in 2019, uses accurate data from CBIC’s customs automated systems to assess the time taken for cargo clearance. Over the years, it has expanded in scope to include transit cargo, courier shipments, and commodity-specific studies, while also adopting stage-wise, process-specific evaluations.

The 2025 edition extended its geographical reach to include Kochi Seaport, Garhi Harsaru ICD, and Jaigaon Land Customs Station, marking a new milestone in India’s trade facilitation efforts.