What is the issue?
- Post-GST, the elimination of checkposts by almost all states has resulted in a significant reduction in waiting time and increase in road transport efficiency.
- However there are other issues to be addressed for smooth movement of goods.
What are the other hurdles in this regard?
- e-waybill is an electronic way bill for the movement of goods across the country. Under GST, a registered person who intends to initiate a movement of goods of value exceeding Rs 50,000 should generate an e-Way bill.
- While earlier businesses had an option to have an e-invoice or a physical invoice for the goods transported, under GST the e-waybill is mandatory.
- An anomaly exists as to the purpose of this option, because an e-invoice and e-waybill would repeat the same data.
- Moreover, there are differences between the State and Central governments, and among the States, on the rules and format regarding the e-waybill.
- Trucks are not stopped only by tax-related check-posts but a host of other transport regulations is also a reason why trucks are stopped and inspected.
- There is a need for updating the vehicle number in the e-waybill every time shipments change trucks which is delaying the transport.
What are the possible solutions?
- It is better to insist on all invoices being filed online and using the online invoices as the de-facto e-waybill.
- An e-waybill can use trucks as reference for checking goods instead of vehicles, thereby reducing the procedural delays.
- Integration of VAHAN (a database of the ministry of road transport with all the relevant data related to the vehicles) and e-waybill (with details of goods) would simplify the checks and inspections.
- RFID-enabled e-waybill and RFID chip-enabled number plate of the vehicle tagged to the VAHAN database can serve to be a modern automated check-point.
- A modern automated check-point equipped with weigh-in motion technology can monitor overloading as the truck passes by.
- A taskforce for the seamless movement of goods has been set up by the Government to consider reforms backed by technology solutions.
- All physical inspection of goods to be subject to CCTV camera recording and all challans to be issued electronically.
- Data related to discretionary inspections by officers can be subjected to the RTI Act.
- Strict norms are needed to ensure fairness and transparency of enforcement.
Source: BusinessLine
