With exporters continuing to face delays in getting refunds on the Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST), the Finance Ministry on Wednesday asked them to file GSTR 3 B and table 6A of GSTR 1 on the GSTN portal and Shipping Bill (s) on Customs EDI System, which are the pre-requisites for sanction of payment.

“The Government of India is seized of the issue of exporters complaining about delay in grant of refunds pertaining to IGST paid on goods exported out of India and similarly Input Tax credit (ITC) on exports,” it said in a statement.

It also clarified that the quantum of IGST refund claims as filed through Shipping Bills during the period July-October, was about ₹6,500 crore. About ₹30 crore was pending as refund of unutilised credit on inputs or input services.

A majority of refund claims for IGST paid on exports in July have already been sanctioned. Refund claims for August, September and October are also being sanctioned seamlessly wherever returns have been accurately filed.

The Finance Ministry said exporters must ensure that there is no discrepancy in the information filed in Table 6A of GSTR 1 and the Shipping Bill as these were the main reasons behind the delay or even rejection of refunds.

“While information has been made available to exporters on the ICEGATE portal if they are registered, they may also contact the jurisdictional Customs authorities to check the errors they have committed in furnishing information in GST returns and Shipping Bill, and rectify them at the earliest,” it further said.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs had last month begun processing IGST refunds to exporters after a special expert group under Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia reviewed the problem of delays in sanctioning them.

Earlier this month, the CBEC also permitted businesses making zero rated supplies or those who have paid IGST on exports or those want to claim input credit to fill Form RFD-01A.

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