Do away with IGST, do data driven inspection rather than having Inspector Raj: Manish Sisodia

New Delhi, June 27 (KNN) Highlighting that as much as Rs 1.81 lakh crore has accumulated in the IGST fund which is lying idle and causing economic loss, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today demanded abolishing Integrated GST.

Addressing at an event organized by industry body ASSOCHAM, Sisodia said Goods and Services Tax (GST) was first conceptualised as 'one nation, one tax' but with five tax slabs, it has come out as 'one nation, several taxes'.

He said he had opposed Integrated GST (IGST) from the beginning and had suggested sticking with only Central GST and State GST.

"I feel IGST is a bad idea. In last GST Council meeting, we got the figure of Rs 1,81,418 crore IGST which we have collected and is lying idle in an escrow account. This is neither in account of state government, nor in central government account. It's not helping central or state governments or traders as it is just lying idle. It's a loss to the economy," Sisodia said.

Stating that IGST is the biggest problem in way of GST, Sisodia said today or tomorrow we have to do it if we have to make GST effective.

He said the requirement of e-way bill should be done away with for intra-state movement of goods.

"Inspector raj should be done away with. We should do data driven inspection. If everything is online, then you do not need inspectors to ask drivers about goods being transported in the truck.

"E-way bill is not a good idea and it should not be there for intra-state, because intra-state means district to district you are putting inspectors for inspection. When everything is data driven and online, then why the need for physical presence of inspectors? You check data and go to godowns and showrooms," Sisodia reasoned.

E-way bill system was launched on April 1 for movement of goods between the states. The requirement of e-way bill for intra-state or within the state movement of goods was launched in a phased manner beginning April 15.