CAG flags Rs 1,234 crore unverifiable GST records amid systemic lapses in Gujarat
AHMEDABAD: A CAG report tabled in the Gujarat Assembly has exposed systemic gaps in GST enforcement, flagging Rs 2,606.62 crore in deviations, Rs 266.63 crore in unanswered mismatches, and a massive Rs 1,234.71 crore that auditors could not verify due to missing records.
The “Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the period ended March 2024” lays bare a troubling pattern that begins with sharp red flags in compliance, deepens into data inconsistencies, and culminates in a serious breakdown of audit accountability.
At the very outset, the audit zeroes in on structural lapses, observing clear deviations from provisions of the Act, Rules, and official instructions, particularly in critical processes such as cancellation of registration, revocation of cancellations, and delays in recovery of dues across 10 selected units.
As these procedural cracks widen, the system appears to falter, with the MIS-generated report on revocation applications throwing up discrepancies, raising questions about the reliability of backend monitoring mechanisms.
Building on this, the audit escalates its scrutiny, flagging as many as 738 inconsistencies among the top deviations. Even as these red flags mount, the response mechanism appears sluggish, as initial replies were not received in five key cases involving a significant Rs 266.63 crore mismatch, exposing a worrying gap between detection and departmental accountability.
As the analysis deepens, the scale of the issue becomes sharper and more quantifiable. The audit identifies deviations in 291 cases involving Rs 2,606.62 crore, accounting for 39.70% of the total inconsistencies where responses were furnished.
