Accenture is undertaking a management consulting project to help transform the Maharashtra Government’s Department of Sales Tax to maximize revenue collection and strengthen its enforcement function.
Accenture also will identify a service provider to upgrade the department’s technology infrastructure with the goal of increasing efficiency and updating record maintenance so historical data will be easier to access and identify. The improvements also are expected to make t easier for taxpayers to interact with the department.
“The Department of Sales Tax is a major revenue collecting body for the government of Maharashtra, contributing about 60 percent of all revenue,” said Nilaya Varma, Managing Director,
Accenture’s Health & Public Service management consulting business, India. “The project will facilitate improved business processes and create multiple channels for service delivery,
facilitating prompt action that will lead to improved services and more interactive communication.”
The state of Maharashtra has always been a leader in automation in the government sector, and the programs it implements will become a benchmark for other states, Varma added.
Dr. Nitin Kareer, Indian Administrative Services, is commissioner of Sales Tax. Kareer said that a comprehensive automation of the department identified issues like flexibility, scalability and integrity of data in the current system.
“Compounding the matter were the needs of departmental staff which have increased to include workflow automation and smarter systems that can aid in decision making. Accenture has
spearheaded a multitude of projects in analytics consulting and, through this partnership, we hope to achieve efficiency in our existing processes,” Kareer said. “The simplification and streamlining of procedures will support the department in achieving a better control on tax evasion with the help of technology. It also will help in reducing administrative overhead, which is another plus in a time of economic uncertainties.”
