The Centre has come up with a new idea to motivate customers to ask for a bill every time they make a purchase. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) announced the launch of the Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar scheme. Effective from September 1, the plan will give cash prizes from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 crore to certain lucky consumers.
Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar will be implemented in Gujarat, Assam, Haryana; and the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Puducherry and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

What is the Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar scheme about?

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The Mera Bill Mere Adhikaar scheme prompts citizens and consumers buying goods or services via business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions to ask for genuine invoices from the seller.

The CBIC, in a tweet, called it an “invoice incentive scheme which allows you to earn cash prizes on upload of GST Invoices.”

How does the Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar scheme function?

An individual can upload up to 25 invoices of over Rs 200 on the Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar mobile app. The app is available on both iOS and Android on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The individual has to sign in to the app using the one-time password that has been sent to their mobile number.

The bill uploaded on the app should have the invoice number, the GSTIN of the seller, the amount paid and tax amount. No invoice will be deemed acceptable if it does not have the above-mentioned details.

The invoices will be selected via a lucky draw. The draws will be held monthly and quarterly.

The need for the Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar scheme

The Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar scheme prompts customers to be more vigilant about asking for invoices. This move will also ensure that citizens take a detailed look at their invoices and understand the intricacies of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The move will make individuals more aware about GST collection and may also prompt them to report businesses that are indulging in fraudulent GST practices.

What can one do to report GST fraud?

One can use the website of the GST Council at gst.gov.in. The web portal of the GST Council allows individuals to lodge a complaint on GST-related issues in an easy manner. Alternatively, one can contact the toll-free number 1800-103-4786 to register any complaint regarding incorrect goods and services tax computation. The consumer will be given a ticket reference number (TRN) which they can use to track the status of their complaint.