Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
LOK SABHA
UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 77
TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, JULY 18, 2022
Ashadha 27, 1944 (Saka)
GOLD SMUGGLING AND TAX EVASION CASES

77. SHRI HIBI EDEN:

Will the Minister of Finance be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the people who inform about gold smuggling and tax evasion, will be rewarded;

(b) if so, whether there is any proposal for an increased reward for the informers and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether a sub-committee which deals with the issues related to the GST council decided for an e-way bill mandatory for intra-state transportation of gold;

(d) if so, the details thereof including the names of the states which opposed this proposal; and

(e) the details of data showing the statistics of gold smuggling cases in Kerala during the last six financial years i.e 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-2020, 2020-2021 and 2021-2022?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

(SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a) : Yes, Sir. (Rewards related to tax evasion under Income Tax Act, 1961 and Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of Tax) Act, 2015, are given as per Income Tax Informants Rewards Scheme, 2018 issued by CBDT vide letter dated 23.04.2018).

(b) : No, Sir

(c) : A group of Ministers constituted by the GST Council has recommended that the State should be allowed to decide about imposition of the requirement of e-Way bill for intra-state movement of gold and precious stones within their States, with a minimum threshold of Rs. Two lakh and the States can decide any amount above that amount as a minimum threshold and for filling up the e-way bill forms, only part-A of the e-way bill would be required without any need for filling part-B of the e-Way bill to ensure security of transportation.

(d) : The report of GoM was approved by a Council by consensus without any voting.

(e):

One case of gold smuggling in Kerala has been entrusted to NIA on 10.07.2020 for investigation.