Key Highlights:

• Principal Additional Director General (Principal ADG) of the Directorate General of Taxpayers Services (DGTS) on a week-long visit to Surat.
• Aiming for ground-level interaction with industrial associations and academic institutions.
• Direct invitation to taxpayers for suggestions regarding practical and policy-related issues.

Surat: Shri Sumit Kumar, Principal Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Taxpayers Services (DGTS), Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, addressed a press conference today, April 27, 2026, at 3:30 PM in the Conference Room of the CGST Office, Surat.

Primary Objective of the Visit: Shri Sumit Kumar stated that he will be on an extensive tour of Surat and its surrounding regions this week. During this period, he will hold meetings with various Industrial Associations, academic institutions, and GST officials. The primary objective of this initiative is to resolve practical and policy-related issues concerning GST and Customs as quickly as possible at the ground level. The Objective is Tax Payer Outreach, listen to and resolve grievances and discuss Tax educations requirements in South Gujarat.

DGTS Ahmedabad Zonal Unit: Annual Performance and Achievements Report During the previous financial year, the Directorate General of Taxpayer Services (DGTS), Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, achieved significant milestones in the areas of tax awareness and public outreach. Key highlights from the report presented by Mr. Sumit Kumar are as follows:

• Extensive Outreach Programs: The department successfully organized more than 100 Tax payers outreach programs throughout the year.
• Massive Public Participation: These initiatives, conducted through both online and offline modes, saw a combined participation of over 100,000 individuals. A notable highlight was the active involvement of college students.
• Awareness and Education: The primary objective of these sessions was to educate the general public and sensitize them regarding the Indirect Taxes Ecosystem.
• Grievance Redressal: These programs serve as a platform for the resolution of Taxpayer grievance faced by taxpayers.
• GST 2.0 Initiatives: Based on feedback from various stakeholders, the GST Council has introduced several transformative reforms under GST 2.0. In this regard, the Government remains steadfast in its commitment to resolving future challenges and further simplifying the tax ecosystem.
• Atithi 2.0 App: Mr. Sumit Kumar stated that the Atithi App (Atithi 2.0) is a mobile application launched by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. This app is specifically designed to make the baggage declaration process, digital, and fast for international travelers arriving and departuring from India. Its purpose is to digitize customs clearance for international passengers. Using this app, travelers can make baggage declaration on their mobile in advance.
• Practical Issues: Taxpayers are encouraged to bring forward any day-to-day operational issues to DGTS Ahmedabad Via Social media handles and mail. Resolution of common and practical problems will be addressed on a priority basis.

Directorate General of Taxpayers Services (DGTS): An Overview Established in August 2015 by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), DGTS is continuously strengthening its commitment to taxpayer facilitation. The Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, formed in November 2015, oversees operations in four major states—Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh along with the Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. This Zonal Unit covers three CGST Zones (Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Jaipur), one Customs Zone (Gujarat), and one composite CGST & Customs Zone (Bhopal), under which a total of 25 executive Commissionerates operate.

Key Areas of Operation:

• Grievance Redressal: Serving as a vital link between taxpayers and high-ranking officials, resolving taxpayer grievances and escalating policy demands.
• Monitoring and Performance: Tax Payer Education, monitoring e-helplines, Sevottam, and Taxpayer Service Centres (ASK Centres).
• Feedback Mechanism: Conducting consumer satisfaction surveys to improve service delivery.
• Compliance and Policy: Monitoring the implementation of the RTI Act and Official Language (Rajbhasha) policies.
• Public Outreach: Organizing joint programs with Chambers of Commerce and industrial associations.

Role of DGTS: It is noteworthy that DGTS (Ahmedabad Zonal Unit) acts as a bridge between taxpayers and the department across major states. Shri Sumit Kumar's visit is another attempt at outreach to Tax Payers of South Gujarat in general and Surat in Particular.

 

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