Lok Sabha Question No. 3651 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-11
Subject: Helpdesk for GST and Income Tax
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Shri Dharambir Singh

## Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3651

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2025/SRAVANA 20, 1947 (SAKA)

## HELPDESK FOR GST AND INCOME TAX

## 3651. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be please to state:

- (a) whether the Government has set up district-level helpdesks for GST and income tax queries;
- (b) whether small traders and rural entrepreneurs are provided regular training on tax compliance;
- (c)  whether  any  timeline  for  grievance  redressal  in  tax  refunds  and  PAN  related  issues  have  been fixed;
- (d) whether simplification of filing procedures for small taxpayers has been done;
- (e) whether any survey has been conducted to assess taxpayers satisfaction in Tier-3 towns and rural areas;
- (f) whether such support services are active and accessible in Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha constituency; and
- (g) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a) Aaykar Seva Kendras (ASKs) at various locations in the country are established on requirement basis. As on date, 457 ASKs centres have been established in different Income Tax Offices spread all over India.

CGST Commissionerate across the country have fully operational GST Seva Kendras or Helpdesks in their  respective  jurisdictions  which  extend  help/guidance  and  address  the  grievances  of  taxpayers/ citizens.

(b)    Taxpayers'  Hubs  are  regularly  conducted  in  Tier  II  and  Tier  III  cities  with  the  objective  of enhancing  tax  awareness  and  promoting  voluntary  compliance.  The  Department  also  brings  out Taxpayer Information Series Brochures every  year  to  educate  all taxpayers  including  small traders and rural entrepreneurs. These brochures are widely circulated in every taxpayer hub, fairs and also published on Department's website.

The Government has regularly taken various steps to provide awareness and training sessions to small traders  and  rural  entrepreneurs  to  enhance  their  understanding  of  compliance  requirements  by organizing  GST  awareness  drives  across  their  jurisdictions,  time  to  time.  Further,  more  public awareness is created through mass media like print, tv and radios on regular basis.

(c)  Yes, as per Service Delivery Standards, Citizens Charter of Income Tax Department and there is a timeline for grievance redressal of issues relating to GST Portal by GSTN.

## (d)    With respect to direct taxes:

The Income Tax Department has simplified filing procedure for the taxpayers in filing the ITRs by providing  a  pre-fill  of  relevant  income  and  tax  related  information  in  ITR.  The  Department  has provided the Annual Information Statement, Form 26AS and Taxpayer Information Statement for the taxpayer to know their transactions for the purpose of preparing and filing of the ITR from the e-filing portal.  The e-filing mode is made available in Online, Offline and Excel utilities giving more choice for the users. The Department has released videos which provide step by step guide to taxpayers with respect  to  filing  of  ITR  and  associated  queries.  These  videos  are  available  in  Youtube  from  the  efiling portal.

## With respect to GST:

- i. The  threshold  limit  of  annual  turnover  for  registration  under  GST  for  entities  engaged  in supply of goods has been increased to Rs. 40 lakhs (other than some special category States) effective from April 1, 2019, which was initially Rs. 20 lakhs.
- ii. The threshold  limit  of  annual  turnover  for  supply  of  goods  under  composition  scheme  has been increased to Rs. 1.5 crore (other than some special category States) effective from 1 st April 2019, which was initially Rs. 75 lakhs.
- iii. A scheme of quarterly return filing and monthly payment (QRMP) has been introduced where small taxpayers with turnover up to Rs. 5 crores have an option to file returns on quarterly basis, instead of monthly return.
- iv. To  facilitate  small  taxpayers  in  making  supply  of  goods  through  e-commerce  operators (ECOs),  the  requirement  of  mandatory  registration  for  intra-state  supply  of  goods  through ECOs has been conditionally waived off with effect from 01.10.2023.
- v. Expeditious approval within seven working days where the applicant undergoes authentication of Aadhaar number while submitting the said application, and approval within thirty days where the applicant fails to undergo authentication of Aadhaar number or does not opt for the same.
- vi. Deemed approval of application for registration where the proper officer fails to take action within the prescribed timelines.
- vii. Furnishing of bank account details upto thirty days from the date of grant of registration or the date on which the details required under section 37 is due to be furnished, whichever is earlier.
- viii. To facilitate and ease return filing process,  an auto-generated return with editing facility  is being  provided  to  the  taxpayers  on  the  portal  based  on  details  of  the  outward  supplies furnished by the taxpayers and their suppliers.
- ix. A new option has been provided to allow the amendment of outward supplies of goods or services for current tax period.
- x. UPI  &  IMPS  has  been  provided  as  an  additional  mode  for  payment  of  GST  to  facilitate taxpayers and to further encourage digital payment.

(e)  No.

(f)  and  (g)  :  One  Aayakar  Sewa  Kendra  (ASK)  is  functional  at  Narnaul  in  Mahendargarh  District Facility  for  NIL  filing  of  GSTR-1,  3B  via  SMS  is  available.  Further,  offline  tools  for  facilitating taxpayers in filing of returns and refund claims in remote areas with network issues are available free of charge.