GST e-way bill may soon be integrated with NHAI’s FASTag to check GST evasion from April 2020. One of the major reasons behind the step is to restrict transporters from using a single e-way bill for multiple trips. The integrated GST e-way bill will help in tracking the movement of goods and check evasion. The revenue department had also set up officers’ committee to integrate the e-way bill, FASTag, and DMIC’s Logistics Data Bank (LDB) services, after consultation with transporters, PTI had earlier reported. The discussion is likely to take place in the upcoming GST council meeting on 14 March 2020.

“Inducing techno changes in the overall GST compliance framework especially integrating FASTag with e-way bills system would give infinite data to the authorities which once fed into an Autobot would help track tax evaders in real-time,” Rajat Mohan, Senior Partner, told Financial Express Online. With integration of the FASTag and GST e-way bill system, the government would practically put every movement of goods on a Global Positioning System enabling the tax authorities to track, trap and tax the evaders under the taxation regime, Rajat Mohan added.

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Apart from the e-way bill – NHAI FASTag integration, the discussions may also take place regarding tax rationalisation on mobile phones, footwear, and textiles. The government may also plan to extend the deadline for the implementation of the new return filing system and e-invoicing in its upcoming meeting.

“The government has been taking measures to cut tax evasion by different means. From the integration of the e-way bill to generating e-invoice, these actions can significantly cut the tax evasion,” Rajesh Gupta, Co-Founder & Director, BUSY (Accounting Software), told Financial Express Online. While the e-way bill is used only for bills over Rs 50,000 to keep a check on the larger amount, the e-invoicing can help to automatically generate the invoice through BUSY software, without going to the portal, he added.