State’s amnesty scheme to benefit over 805 taxpayers

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 9, 2020

The Cabinet on Thursday approved the state’s amnesty scheme which seeks to allow over 800 tax payers to clear the outstanding dues to the state government within a period of six months.

Announcing this decision after the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “People who have taxes due towards the state government will be given an amnesty scheme for a period of six months to pay the amount, failing which different legal measures and prosecution as per law will be taken (against such defaulters).”

Commissioner of Taxes, Arunkumar Kembhavi said this is the first time in the country such a comprehensive amnesty scheme has been brought in the form of an ordinance.

He informed that the scheme will benefit a total of 805 tax payers in Meghalaya adding many of them owes the department hundreds of crores.

“The scheme will help both the department as well as the taxpayers to make a fresh start for 2021 and we hope that they will avail its benefits,” Kembhavi said.

“The idea of the scheme is simple. If a taxpayer has Rs 1 crore outstanding dues including the principal amount of tax, surcharge, penalty, interest or even the late fees, we are giving the net discount or waiver of 30 percent so that he can make payment for only 70 percent or Rs 70 lakh of the tax due to the department and get away with it,” he further explained.

The Commissioner of Taxes said once the ordinance is notified, the taxpayers can submit applications before him and avail the benefits of the scheme.

“Once the window of six months is over, we will go aggressively against all the outstanding tax payers and we will prosecute them with rigorous means,” he stated.