Most of the dealers in Andhra Pradesh — 90 per cent — are filing their sales-tax returns online, even though it is mandatory only in Hyderabad and Secunderabad, according to Mr Suresh Chanda, the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes. He said it shows the e-initiative of the department is received well.

He was participating in an interaction session with the trade organised by the Vizagpatam Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Sunday. He said e-filing of returns and e-collection of tax would reduce corruption, remove hassles, and on the whole make the process easier. The cost of transaction could also be reduced substantially. However, he said, employees in the department were still getting adjusted to the new system, and during the transition, there may be a few issues to be sorted out. He sought the co-operation of the dealers in the matter.

He said the department was roughly receiving 2.75 lakh e-returns a month and waybills could also be obtained online. The indent could be filed online, and it would be delivered to the dealer through a courier. The dealer need not approach the commercial taxes officer (CTO). However, the old system was also being continued, and dealers could still get it through CTOs. Only if there was a tax default, waybill would be denied to the dealer, and obtaining it online was the best method, he said. Select dealers have also been allowed to print waybills themselves, he added.

'Narrowly missed target'

Mr Chanda said the department had collected Rs 32,700 crores during 2010-11, showing a growth rate of 31 per cent as against the target of 32 per cent. “We have narrowly missed the target, but still our performance was good,” he said.

He also explained to the trade that now check posts were not being viewed as a source of revenue through penalties. “We get hardly Rs 15-16 crores through penalties. Our emphasis is not on penalties. Therefore, our only concern is to see that goods are coming in and going out, with valid documents. We have also introduced the system of Web-checking,” he said.

In response to questions raised by the trade, he admitted that there was a lot to be done about tax refunds to the dealers. The system should be simplified and the process be expedited using computers, he said.

Mr K. Vijaya Kumar, president of the chamber, presided over the session. Mr.Nitin K. Parekh, chairman of trade and commerce committee, Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, also spoke.

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