Raipur, July 8 (IANS) In a significant boost to ease of doing business and tax reforms, the Chhattisgarh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, has approved key amendments in GST and VAT laws along with several industry-friendly measures.

The cabinet meeting on Tuesday took 11 major decisions aimed at benefiting taxpayers, investors, industries, and common citizens.

The Cabinet gave its nod to the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill 2026 to simplify the GST law and make it more effective. The amendment will particularly help exporters and industries by streamlining the refund process, improving tax administration, and increasing revenue collection.

Alongside this, the Chhattisgarh Value Added Tax (VAT) Amendment Bill was cleared, under which the Commercial Tax Tribunal will be abolished. Pending VAT cases will now be transferred to the Revenue Board for faster disposal, reflecting the reduced relevance of VAT appeals after GST implementation.

In a major push for industrial growth, the Cabinet approved the Chhattisgarh Industrial Investment Promotion Bill 2026 and the Chhattisgarh Ease of Doing Business (Simplification and Facilitation) Bill 2026.

The latter is touted as making Chhattisgarh the first state in the country to introduce provisions such as deemed permissions, self-certification, third-party verification, and risk-based monitoring. These reforms are expected to make the investment process more transparent and accelerate industrial development in the state.

The Cabinet also approved a new system for electricity payments by the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company. The Direct Debit Mandate (DDM) system, as per RBI guidelines, will replace the old tripartite agreement to ensure uninterrupted power supply from central undertakings with greater transparency and security.

Other important decisions include the draft of the Chhattisgarh Private University (Establishment and Operation) Bill 2026 to ensure quality education and UGC compliance, the One Time Settlement Scheme 2026 for plot allottees in Nawa Raipur Atal Nagar, amendments in the Water Pollution Act to replace minor criminal offences with monetary penalties, and revisions in the Chhattisgarh Fare Control Act 2011 for better tenant-landlord dispute resolution.

The Cabinet also cleared land allocation for a 2000-capacity modern auditorium in Rajnandgaon and a study on service conditions of Bastar Fighters.

–IANS

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