Pune: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Tuesday that she has asked the tax authorities to observe a "bit of restraint" and not to "overreach" while going about tax collection. Sitharaman spoke to reporters here after meeting officials of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes, Customs, Income Tax department, GST and representatives from trade associations in Pune.

"Businesses create jobs, create wealth for the country and therefore it is important for tax administrators to facilitate them while doing their job of tax collection and enforcing the tax rules," she said.

"We have decided with the consultation with all authorities that the deadlines for the targets are not impossible....they are achievable deadlines, they are realistic deadlines and therefore my request to the tax collectors was not to overreach, not to overstate in the collection process," she said.

Meeting targets within deadlines was achievable even if they go about it with bit of a "restraint", the minister added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated in his Independence day speech that the country values small, medium, micro, nano and large entrepreneurs, she said. "We want them to carry on with their business without any worry," she said.

"Today we interacted with trade associations, trade bodies and tax administrators and the focus was on GST, forms related to GST matters, deadlines, simplification of forms in GST matters. There were sectors which wanted GST to be brought down," she added. To a question about GST reduction, Sitharaman said she was willing to hear everybody, "but it is not in my hands as it has to go to the GST council".    

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