<h1>State to disburse Rs 1,600 crore pending GST refunds before Diwali, prioritizing automation and trader welfare</h1> The state government announced it will disburse about Rs 1,600 crore in GST refunds pending since 2019 to traders before Diwali, following a special meeting of tax department officials and senior finance administrators. The administration directed priority processing of all pending, undisputed, genuine refund claims and mandated use of a newly developed IT module-created with an academic institution-to expedite verification through data analytics and automation. Officials said timely refunds will improve trader liquidity, reduce litigation costs and boost economic activity, and a Traders' Welfare Board with trader representation has been established to address sector concerns.