Have you ever imagined winning a 1 crore prize money for a Rs 500 bill you just got from a local supermarket? That is what the all-new Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar scheme offers! Just upload a GST-compliant bill on the designated portal or app to participate in the lucky draw.
The scheme is expected to encourage consumers to nudge the retailers or sellers to ask for bills in compliance with GST if applicable to such sellers. Let’s dive deep into the ambitious scheme before we check if it will be a game-changer for GST invoicing in India.
What’s entailed in the MBMA scheme?
Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar (MBMA) is the latest scheme launched by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC), beginning on September 1, 2023. It incentivises consumers with whopping prize money for requesting GST-compliant, legitimate invoices from sellers.
From September 1, any interested consumer can upload their GST bill/purchase invoice on the app or website. However, the bill should be issued by retailers or sellers who are registered under GST. Initially, only people from designated states/UTs can participate, such as Haryana, Assam, Gujarat & UTs of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, and Puducherry. The scheme has cash prices fixed at Rs 10,000, Rs 10,00,000, and Rs 1 crore in the monthly and quarterly lucky draws.
One can participate in the scheme through the mobile app on iOS and Android platforms or the web portal.
Will the MBMA scheme be a game-changer?
The extension of the e-invoicing system to further business classes of Rs 5-10 crore turnover ensures a check on tax evasion and fake tax credit menace. While e-invoicing takes care of the B2B transactions, the MBMA scheme aims to drive a similar objective in the B2C space. Yet some drawbacks or grey areas must be addressed to make this invoice-based reward scheme more attractive.
The scheme can drive more GST invoicing across India when it expands to other states/UTs. The currently chosen states do not have a high transaction volume, as seen from the revenue numbers, which may not impactfully translate into expected results for the scheme.
Only B2C invoices issued by sellers registered in states implementing the reward scheme are eligible. However, whether consumers from other states buying from these sellers can participate in the scheme is silent.
A communication from GSTN indicates that a higher-value invoice will be allocated a higher probability or chance of winning the draw by the MBMA system. Although the minimum value to enter the scheme is Rs.200, the selection criteria advocates increased spending and may turn unattractive to some consumer classes.
Overall, the scheme pushes for a fresh and positive shift in Indian consumer behaviour and favours the growth of a formal economy. Before you participate, be sure to follow the official links by the government for mobile apps and web portals to avail the benefits of the scheme and safeguard yourself from scamsters.
(The author is the founder and CEO of online tax filing portal Clear)
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