Online Central Sales Tax Service makes way in State

SHILLONG: With the advancement of science and technology, the State Government has made serious attempts in achieving cent per cent e-governance in the State with the implementation of e-payment, e-registration, e-returns, etc. And now yet another citizen-centric online service has been offered and that is the Online Central Sales Tax (e-CST) Service.
To acquaint the business community about the e-CST service, a one-day training-cum-workshop was on Friday organized by the Department of Taxation in the city on Friday where the Commissioner & Secretary, Taxation,  Jopthiaw Lyngdoh was the Chief Guest.
Speaking on the occasion, Jopthiaw Lyngdoh said that the main aim of implementing e-CST service in the State is to reduce the human space between the officers and the business community, to save time and money, to help business community manage from their own office, establishments and  place of operation and to work seamlessly and effortlessly without any hassles.
He recalled the time when several e-services were first introduced in the State, there were some reluctance on the part of the government officials and the users to take advantage of these services as implementation of the same meant a venture out of comfort zones.
He informed that the Government of India is shortly introducing online Goods and Services Tax (GST) service in the country and once this is implemented there is no running away from technology. So it is pertinent that one should get themselves acquainted, equipped and update with the Information Technology.
According to Lyngdoh, Shillong, being the nerve centre of trade and business, it is imperative that city-based businessmen set a trail so that businessmen from other parts of the State can follow and learn from them and therefore, he called upon the business community to ensure that people down the line are trained and familiarize with the method of operation so that they can also acclimatize themselves with the GST regime.
Lamenting that most of the businessmen are misusing the online C-Form, Lyngdoh impressed upon the business community that business ethics should be applied while utilizing C-Form and operate it in a transparent manner.