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GST Council Likely to Consider NATGRID Access to GST Data
Why in News?
Police may soon tap GST data through NATGRID APIs: the internal security and taxation link GS-III tests
The GST Council may let NATGRID user agencies request GST data through APIs.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
The GST Council is likely to consider allowing investigating agencies and the police to use NATGRID to access GST data.
Under the proposed mechanism, data would be shared online through application programming interfaces (APIs) on requests from NATGRID user agencies.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- The GST Council is likely to consider letting investigating agencies and police access GST data via NATGRID.
- Data would be shared online through application programming interfaces (APIs) on requests from NATGRID user agencies.
- NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid) is an integrated intelligence database platform for security and law enforcement agencies, conceived after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
- The GST Council is a constitutional body under Article 279A, chaired by the Union Finance Minister, with State finance ministers as members.
- GST data is held under confidentiality provisions, so sharing it with agencies raises privacy and data-protection questions.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- NATGRID is a secure online platform that links databases of various agencies so that authorised user agencies can access information for counter-terrorism and security purposes.
- The GST Council is established under Article 279A of the Constitution and is chaired by the Union Finance Minister.
- An application programming interface (API) allows one software system to request and receive data from another in a structured, automated manner.
Mains
GS-III (Economy: Taxation; Internal Security). Issue: using tax data to tackle fraud, terror financing and organised crime versus taxpayer confidentiality. Policy: a GST Council decision enabling NATGRID user agencies to request GST data via APIs. Implication: better detection of evasion and illicit networks, but risks of misuse and privacy concerns after the Puttaswamy judgment. Way forward: purpose limitation, audit trails, judicial or independent oversight, and data-protection safeguards under the DPDP Act.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Buxa Tiger Reserve, where a tigress translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve was recently released, is located in which State?
- Assam
- West Bengal
- Odisha
- Arunachal Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: B — Correct: West Bengal — Buxa Tiger Reserve lies in the Alipurduar district of northern West Bengal, in the Terai-Duar region. • Assam — wrong: Assam has tiger reserves such as Kaziranga and Manas, but Buxa is not one of them. • Odisha — wrong: Odisha's tiger reserves are Similipal and Satkosia, not Buxa. • Arunachal Pradesh — wrong: Arunachal Pradesh has reserves such as Namdapha and Pakke, but Buxa is not among them.
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