PwC and Microsoft launch India’s first ‘off-the-shelf’ VAT solution

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India and Microsoft Corporation India have

announced the launch of the first off-the-shelf VAT (Value Added Tax) solution

for State tax departments in India. The solution, developed by PwC using the

Microsoft .NET framework, simplifies the task of filing sales tax returns by

businesses and facilitates consolidation of results by the State tax department

on a periodic basis. The solution is based on the current model of the

Government of India VAT and can be customized based on specific requirements of

an individual state on a case-to-case basis.

Elaborating on how the VAT application launch fits in with Microsoft’s

overall strategy of working with Center/State governments, Rajiv Nair,

President, Microsoft India and Senior Strategic Advisor, Microsoft Asia says,

"We are working very closely with the Center and various state governments

to help address their compelling e-governance requirements, both as a technology

provider as well as a consultant in drawing out a long term e-governance

blueprint. With the launch of the joint Microsoft-PwC VAT solution we are adding

a new dimension to this relationship."

Roopen Roy, Director, Pricewater-house Coopers (PwC) says, "Drawing from

our knowledge pool of tax and business advisory services, we realized that we

were best positioned to render our professional services and domain knowledge to

the state governments to implement VAT at the state level. Such a system would

provide for simplification and administration of VAT."

DQCI NEWS BUREAU