To ensure the seamless administration and implementation of the GST regime in India, there has been several initiatives introduced over the years. The formation of the Goods and Services Tax Council was one, and in more recent times, the launch of the GST Prime tool by the NIC as an analytical tool designed especially for GST officials. The tool built by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) aims at empowering tax officials to analyse and monitor all tax collections and compliance measures prevalent in their jurisdiction. Let’s take a look at the concept of GST Prime tool closely, its features, purpose and how it benefits GST officials in their roles and responsibilities.

To learn more about GST Prime, you can visit the Products section under NIC’s official website: //www.nic.in//

What is GST Prime?

Let us begin by understanding the meaning of GST Prime. GST Prime is a cutting-edge analytics tool launched by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to streamline GST operations by tax officials. It empowers GST officials to get insights on tax collections and implementation across different regions and integrates various functionalities for the same. It enables field agents to use data and tools to identify those evading or defaulting taxes and helps to enforce GST in a systematic manner.

The tool can be used by officers at the Centre and State/UT levels, to facilitate the collection of indirect tax in GST.

Goals and objectives:

The tool’s primary objective is to make it easier for tax officials to monitor and manage tax collections across the country and identify defaulters and those trying to evade taxes. In doing so, it ensures there is:

• Widespread compliance with GST rules and laws among taxpayers
• Gradual increase in the number of taxpayers as businesses exceeding the GST registration threshold limit gets registered
• Quick and accurate identification of non-compliance among taxpayers, to reduce instances of tax defaulters and those trying to evade taxes
• Streamline processes in place for tax and revenue collection to meet predicted numbers
• Availability of data and analytical insights to predict any changes caused due to policy changes at the Central/State levels

Purpose of GST Prime by NIC

When it comes to the successful implementation and administration of GST compliance, the GST Prime tool by NIC has been a boon for officers. Listed below are the purpose of the GST Prime tool.

• Streamlining GST management: The tool enables GST officers to manage GST collections and compliance across state jurisdictions. It uses advanced AI tools to analyse large volumes of data and generate insightful reports. Automation reduces the workload on officers, keeps data accurate and accessible in real-time.
  (Also read: GST State code and jurisdiction)
• Compliance management: GST prime tool is integrated with other GST systems and can fetch relevant data across platforms. It can further track transactions in real-time and trigger alerts on non-compliance. This helps to minimise tax discrepancies and reduce any attempts at evasion.
• Supports decision making: The tool generates reports for quick insights. The dashboard feature provides end-to-end visibility of tax administration and liabilities, trends and patterns, to enable precise decision-making and provides recommendations on tax policies and reforms.

Features of GST Prime tool

The launch of the GST Prime tool by the NIC has been a game changer for tax officials, facilitating how they monitor and manage tax processes. Considering its unique offering, the analytics tool comes with some distinct features.

Listed below are the key features of the GST Prime tool:

• Comprehensive Dashboard: The tool comes with a detailed dashboard with real-time data and analytics. Visual representation of data in graphs/charts makes analysis easier aiding officials in their decision making. The dashboard can be accessed once the officials log in to their accounts.
• Automated alerts: When anomalies and discrepancies are identified, the tool send automatic alerts. This ensures that no case of non-compliance in tax filing goes undetected.
• Integration with other platforms: The GST Prime platform integrates with other GST and related taxation portals (e.g., e-Way bill system) ensuring there’s smooth transfer of data between relevant platforms to keep it up to date and relevant. By doing so, it can also fetch historical data on taxpayers for scrutiny and audit purposes.
• Security of data: Since the tool deals with critical tax related data, it’s highly secure and safe to use. It comes with advanced security features (e.g., encryption, multi-factor authentication) that enables data security and protection.
• User access management: The GST Prime tool is designed for GST officials. Once GST officials log in to their account they can manage user access, grant/deny permission, and assign roles to other officers for smooth operations and execution of duties.

How GST Prime works?

The National Informatics Centre built the GST Prime tool to make it easier for GST offers to identify cases of non-compliance and tax offenders and take proactive measures to curb tax evasions and frauds.

Here are some of the ways in which the tool works to achieve its objectives:

• A secure GST Prime login for officers to ensure access is restricted and data is protected at all times.
• Use of advance AI and Machine Learning tools to analyse large data-sets, build informative reports, and draw insights on matters related to tax liabilities, compliance, and others.
• Wide range of features and functionalities for proactive management and decision making (e.g., alert systems, data integration across GST returns, GST payments, etc., real-time dashboards, 80+ reports, and more)

Benefits of GST Prime analytics tool

Analytics and report generation are main benefits that the GST Prime tool by NIC offers GST officers. There are over 80 such reports generated that offers:

• Predictive analysis, in-depth analysis and 360 degree view of taxpayer profiles
• Data matching (internal and external), section wise returns analysis, risk analysis to launch audits, scrutiny etc.
• Real time data analytics and insights for higher officials
• Identification of any discrepancies and gaps in tax liabilities

Listed below are the key benefits of the tool for GST officers:

• Quick identification of non-filers of returns, tax defaulters, and other non-compliance activities for corrective measures (e.g., incorrect ITC claims and reversing the same)
• Reduced errors and greater efficiency by moving from manual processes to automated data analysis
• Better data analysis and insights by fetching data from multiple relevant platforms and using technology for insights
• Enhanced compliance monitoring in real-time through alert notifications
• Superior reporting capabilities through easy-to-understand graphs, charts, and other detailed reports
• Higher transparency, accuracy and accountability in the system

*This article is for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to consult with a GST Practitioner, CA or relevant tax consultant for professional advice. They should also visit the official GST portal website and NIC website for additional information.

Author: Sohini Banerjee

Sohini is a seasoned content writer with 12 years’ experience in developing marketing and business content across multiple formats. At Tata nexarc, she leverages her skills in crafting curated content on the Indian MSME sector, steel procurement, and logistics. In her personal time, she enjoys reading fiction and being up-to-date on trends in digital marketing and the Indian business ecosystem.