On the occasion of GST day 2025, celebrating 8 years of roll out of independent India’s most defining tax reformation, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs re-affirms its commitment to foster meaningful engagement with stakeholders, facilitate tax payer services and enhance awareness around the GST ecosystem. The theme for this year’s celebration is “GST-Simplifying Taxes: Empowering Citizens”

2 Awards

Yet another feather on the cap of Central Tax & Central excise, Thiruvananthapuram Zone! The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has conferred a ‘Commendation Certificate’ on Thiruvananthapuram CGST Zone for its outstanding performance in two core areas of GST administration:

• Processing of GST Registrations, with 55% of applications processed within 7 days as against the national average of 17%
• Disposal of GST Appeals, with 83% of appeals filed during the year successfully resolved.

This national-level recognition is a testament to the dedication and efficiency of the officers and staff of the Thiruvananthapuram Zone in delivering taxpayercentric services, strengthening dispute resolution, and promoting the overall ease of doing business.

3. ‘GST Pakhwada’-Activities undertaken- The Thiruvananthapuram Zone covering Commissionerates of Kozhikode, Cochin, and Thiruvananthapuram organized various activities to engage stakeholders and raise GST awareness, celebrating both its evolution and the collaborative spirit between taxpayers and the administration.

3.1 GST Conclave 2025:- The fortnight-long ‘GST Pakhwada’, from 16th June to 1st July 2025, commenced with the GST Conclave 2025 held at Taj Vivanta, Kochi. The event was graced by Shri R. Venkataramani, Hon’ble Attorney General of India, as Chief Guest, and Shri Rajendra Kumar P., Chairman, Indirect Taxes Committee, ICAI, as Guest of Honour. A keynote session by Shri Shailendra Kumar, CEO & Founder Editor, TIOL, on “GST – Simplifying Taxes: Empowering Citizens” added depth to the deliberations. Attended by over 200 stakeholders from various sectors, the conclave received wide appreciation and media coverage, setting a vibrant tone for the celebrations.

3.2 Meet the Trade: The Zone has been constantly handholding the taxpayers and interacting with stakeholders. The Chief Commissioner during this Pakhwada has visited BPCL on 24-06-2025, our largest taxpayer in Central Excise and discussed issues faced by them. Similarly, the Chief Commissioner has visited Cochin Shipyard on 25-06-2025 as a measure to foster trust and contribute to robust tax ecosystem.

3.3 AWARENESS: The Chief Commissioner inaugurated the two day National Conference on GST conducted by ICAI in Kochi on 26th & 27th June 2025. He has also taken a Technical session on " Dispute resolution mechanism in GST with focus on reducing tax disputes".

3.4 Key Initiatives Undertaken by Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin, and Kozhikode Commissionerates during GST Pakhwada 2025:

(i) Taxpayer Assistance and Facilitation

GST Helpdesks were set up at the Commissionerate Headquarters and across all Divisions in Cochin and Kozhikode Commissionerates to address taxpayer queries and improve facilitation during the GST Pakhwada. In Thiruvananthapuram, dedicated helpdesks manned by experienced officers were established, successfully resolving 27 taxpayer grievances during the period.

(ii) Fitness and Sporting Events

As part of the ‘FIT India’ campaign, Cycle Marathons were conducted on 18th May 2025 in all three Commissionerates. In Thiruvananthapuram, the event was flagged off by Olympians Jisna Mathew, MP Jabir, and Anu Raghavan, with over 200 participants including athletes, students, trade representatives, and departmental officers. In Cochin, the marathon was flagged off by Shri P. L. Lakra, IRS, Principal Commissioner, in the presence of Shri R. Sharma, Assistant Director, Sports Authority of India. In Kozhikode, Shri Balaji Manohar, IRS, Joint Commissioner, flagged off the event, which witnessed participation from 25 officers and their children.

Additionally, inter-office sports competitions were conducted in Thiruvananthapuram to foster team spirit and engagement among officers.

(iii) Student and Youth Engagement

Thiruvananthapuram Commissionerate organized GST-themed competitions such as quizzes, essay writing, poster design, and extempore speeches across 20 schools, with active participation from over 500 students. Cochin Commissionerate engaged with college students through competitions like slogan writing and quizzes. In Kozhikode, children participated in creative contests such as poem recitals, painting, and pencil drawing at the CGST Headquarters, promoting GST awareness through art.

(iv) Outreach and Creative Awareness

Nukkad Nataks (street plays) were performed at key public locations in Thiruvananthapuram to spread GST awareness among citizens. Kozhikode Commissionerate organized GST-themed workshops and painting exhibitions by noted artists, offering visual and artistic representations of GST and its impact. Across all Commissionerates, a variety of competitions such as essay writing, slogan writing, logo designing, and quizzes were conducted for departmental officers to promote GST understanding and participation.

4 GST DAY 2025: GST Day celebrations will be conducted on 1st July, 2025 in Thiruvananthapuram. Shri K. N. Balagopal, Hon’ble Minister for Finance, Government of Kerala, has been invited to grace the occasion as the Chief Guest and has kindly consented to attend. Shri Mohanlal, renowned cine actor, has also been invited as the Guest of Honour and has graciously accepted the invitation. Commendation Certificates will be awarded to officers and staff who made exemplary contributions to GST administration in the Zone. Representatives from trade and industry associations will also be felicitated for their active and positive engagement in supporting the objectives of GST.

5 REVENUE: The GST revenue collection in the first two months of FY 2025-26 has increased with a growth rate of 18% and the Central Excise revenue with a growth rate of 14%. In FY 2024-25, The enforcement wing of the department along with audit, the two pillars enforcing investigation and compliance had booked cases with detection of Rs.580 cr.

With unwavering commitment, the Thiruvananthapuram GST Zone continues to serve Kerala, with service at its core.

Issued by: Office of the Chief Commissioner of Central Tax, Central Excise & Customs, Thiruvananthapuram Zone