Gandhinagar, July 22 (IANS) A total of 301 candidates were appointed as State Tax Inspectors in Gujarat on Wednesday, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel urging the recruits to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, improve the state’s revenue collection, encourage investment and ensure taxpayers do not face unnecessary difficulties.
The appointment letters were distributed at a ceremony in Gandhinagar by the Chief Minister in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi; Finance Minister Kanu Desai; Minister of State, Kamlesh Patel; and Chief Secretary M. K. Das.
Addressing the newly appointed officers, Patel said they had been entrusted with responsibilities in the Finance Department and should carry out their duties honestly and efficiently while contributing to Gujarat’s economic growth.
“Our work should be such that we resolve people’s genuine difficulties within the framework of the law and ensure they do not face unnecessary hardship,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the development-oriented politics and the “Reform, Perform, Transform” approach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had brought about a development revolution in the country, making India globally competitive.
Referring to initiatives such as the hydrogen train, he said India now stood confidently alongside developed nations.
Patel also said the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, launched by PM Modi, had helped establish Gujarat as a leading destination for investment and industry.
He described the newly appointed officers as the driving force behind the state’s future development and said they would play an important role in strengthening the journey from “Viksit Gujarat” to “Viksit Bharat”.
He urged them to follow the principle of “Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas, Sauno Prayas” while serving in the Finance Department and to work collectively for the welfare of all sections of society.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said: “The determination and hard work that had allowed the candidates to clear the competitive examination should continue throughout their public service careers.”
Describing the Finance and Tax Department as the backbone of the state’s economy, Sanghavi said it played a key role in maintaining financial stability and supporting Gujarat’s overall development through revenue collection.
“The primary responsibility of every newly appointed employee is to ensure that no honest trader faces unnecessary difficulties or inconvenience,” he said, adding that smooth and business-friendly operations strengthened the state’s economy.
He urged the officers to continue learning, seek guidance from senior officials and ensure speedy, transparent and positive resolution of genuine issues faced by citizens and traders.
“Gujarat’s GST collection and growth rate had remained encouraging under the leadership of ‘Team Gujarat’,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the induction of new officers would further strengthen the state’s revenue, helping expand welfare programmes and infrastructure development across Gujarat.
He also urged the recruits to work closely with the trade and industry community.
Finance Minister Kanu Desai said several policy reforms had been introduced since the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, including the rationalisation of higher tax slabs of 40 per cent and 28 per cent to simpler rates such as 18 per cent.
He said Gujarat had consistently ranked first in the country with more than 99 per cent GST return filing compliance for several years while maintaining a leading position in tax collection.
“As the state’s traders and industrialists are cooperative, the government’s primary responsibility is to support them with the spirit of Ease of Doing Business so that business activities remain smooth,” Desai said.
He told the newly appointed officers that their role was to serve the public rather than exercise authority and said the government should create an environment where traders and citizens could pay taxes with ease.
“The revenue collected through taxes is utilised for the development of Gujarat and the nation, and therefore, the better these young officers perform, the greater the creation of wealth and development in the state,” he said.
Chief Secretary M. K. Das said more than 2.30 lakh candidates had appeared for the Gujarat Public Service Commission examination through which the 301 officers were selected.
He described the successful candidates as an exceptionally talented group whose contribution would support Gujarat’s economic development in the years ahead.
Das also said GST was a specialised and sensitive law and advised the officers to keep themselves updated with judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts, as well as legal case law, to effectively safeguard the state’s interests while dealing with tax consultants.
–IANS
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