Panel suggests ways to ensure funds reach target beneficiaries

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) The Nandan Nilekani-headed I-Tinfrastructure panel today suggested that "efforts should bedovetailed with Aadhaar (UID) initiative" to ensure thatwelfare funds reach target beneficiaries.

The Technical Advisory Group for Unique Projects, whichsubmitted its report to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee,gave far reaching recommendations to implement, with the helpof automated systems, the five ambitious projects of thegovernment.

Goods and Service Tax (GST), Tax Information Network,Expenditure Information Network, National Treasury ManagementAgency and New Pension System (NPS) are the five projects.

If the suggestions are accepted, businesses will have aninformation technology (I-T) driven simpler system to pay theproposed GST.

Also, I-T system will ensure that the tax evasion isdetected seamlessly by a common GST Panel.

"These five projects alone have immense transformativepower and can change India''s growth trajectory," the report ofsaid.

It also suggested investment in ''peopleware'' to implementthe highly complex projects.

In a major deviation from the established governmenthierarchy, it has recommended that each of these projects beheaded by a ''Mission Leader'', with a fixed five-year tenure toensure continuity.

Induction of talent from outside the government andsetting up the National Information Utilities in the privatesector for handling all aspects of I-T systems, have also beensuggested.

Though the new body is proposed to be be set up in theprivate sector for profit purpose, they would be expected notto go for "profit maximisation" and should not go for publiclistings.

The Centre is in the process of building consensus withstates to implement GST, which will subsume most of theindirect taxes. Also, Direct Taxes Code (DTC), which willreplace the 50-year old Income Tax Act, is expected to berolled out from April 2012.

The report addresses several concerns of the tax payersunder the proposed GST. The common GST portal will takecare of payment gateways, return filing but will ensure thatthe tax evaders have hard times.

"The common GST portal is pass-through devise forinformation, while enhancing it with intelligence to plugleakages. It would also act as a tax booster...to detect taxevasion," the report said adding the system will also providefor verification of permanent account number (PAN).

For ensuring the welfare funds reach the targetbeneficiaries, the report recommends that "efforts should bedovetailed with Aadhaar (UID) initiative for uniqueindentification of individuals". .