Absence of internet connectivity causes huge dip in revenue collection

DCs asked to set-up internet kiosks for filing GST returns

Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Nov 19: Worried over considerable dip in the revenue collections for the last three months because of no internet connectivity in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Government has asked all the Deputy Commissioners to allow the people filing of GST returns through internet kiosks in their offices.
In a communiqué, issued today by the Finance Department , the Deputy Commissioners have been requested that the access to the internet kiosks located in their offices may be allowed to the tax filers for at-least 10 days from tomorrow.
“Kindly facilitate the filing of GST returns through internet kiosks located in your offices on 20th of this month with necessary safeguards, which is the due date of filing of GST returns,” read the communiqué, addressed to all the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pertinent to mention that internet kiosks have been established in the offices of all the Deputy Commissioners to facilitate people in Jammu and Kashmir where the mobile internet connectivity has been snapped since August 5, 2019, before abrogation of Article 370 and re-organization of the erstwhile State of J&K into two Union Territories.
In the absence of internet connectivity in the Union Territory of J&K, the tax payers have not been able to file the GST returns, particularly GSTR 3B on time since 2019.
Although the date of filing of returns was extended till October 20, 2019, in view of the representations received from the tax filers, the percentage of the returns filed during this period has been abysmally low.
Official sources told the Excelsior that only around 40 percent returns due for this period have been filed so far. Given that the continuous extension in the date of filing of returns has led to blockade of revenue, both cash and IGST settlement, there has been considerable dip in the revenue collection for the past three months, sources added.
In order to address the obtaining situation, the Finance Department today asked all the Deputy Commissioners to facilitate the filing of GST returns through the internet kiosks located in their offices from tomorrow with necessary safeguards.
“Also, as even the returns for the month of July, August and September have not been filed by all the tax payers, it is requested that the access to the internet kiosks located in your offices may be allowed to the tax filers for at-least 10 days from November 20 to 30, 2019,” read the communication.

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