CGC Landran hosts National Conclave on GST 2.0, focus on MSMEs and Start-ups
Babushahi Bureau
Mohali (Punjab), August 19, 2026: CGC Landran’s Department of RISE (R&D) organised a two-day national conclave on “GST 2.0: Compliance, Cost & Competitiveness – Empowering MSMEs and Start-ups in India’s Digital Growth Era”, bringing together policymakers, industry experts, academicians, entrepreneurs, researchers and students to discuss the future of taxation and digital growth.
Sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Ministry of Education, Government of India, the conclave focused on how GST reforms, technology and digital transformation can help strengthen India’s MSME and start-up ecosystem and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
The inaugural session was attended by Chief Guest Pankaj Kumar Jha, Director, MSME Ludhiana, along with Guests of Honour Anurag Aggarwal, Immediate Past President, Mohali Industry Association; Brahm Alreja, President, TiE Chandigarh; and Krishan Kumar, Associate Director, MSME.
They were joined by Parampal Singh Dhillon, Vice Chairman, CGC Landran; Dr Rajdeep Singh, Campus Director; Prof. (Dr.) Neha Sharma, Dean Research; Prof. (Dr.) Dinesh Arora, IPR Head and Convenor; and Prof. (Dr.) Amresh Kumar, CEO, ACIC RISE Association.
Keynote sessions focused on the challenges and opportunities created by GST for start-ups, fintech firms and MSMEs. Brahm Alreja spoke on “Start-ups, Fintech & GST: Challenges, Opportunities & Technology”, while Krishan Kumar discussed “MSMEs under GST: Formalization, Competitiveness & Growth.”
The conclave souvenir, featuring 105 abstracts, was also released during the inaugural session.
Grassroots innovators felicitated
A special feature of the event was the recognition of grassroots innovators for their contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship.
Jaswinder Singh, founder of a Pneumatic Multi-Seed Sowing Machine; Meena Rani, innovator of a Ladoo Making Machine; and Jaswinder Singh, founder of Kissan Dragon Fruit Farm, were felicitated.
Meena Rani and Jaswinder Singh, who developed the Pneumatic Multi-Seed Sowing Machine, are GRIP awardees and have also been recognised by the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology. Their journey from grassroots innovation to receiving recognition at Rashtrapati Bhavan from President Droupadi Murmu was highlighted at the event.
Experts discuss GST, technology and competitiveness
The academic sessions featured panel discussions on some of the key challenges facing businesses under the evolving GST framework.
The first panel examined “MSMEs under GST 2.0: Bridging Compliance, Cost & Competitiveness”, focusing on compliance challenges and their impact on smaller businesses.
Another session explored technology, automation and digital tax governance, with experts discussing how digital tools can make GST compliance simpler and more efficient.
Sessions on fintech, payments and GST examined the changing relationship between digital payments, financial technology and taxation, while another panel discussed global GST practices and how India can strengthen its competitive position.
The second day featured a keynote address by Sumech Sachdev, Founder & CEO, Lucria Consult, on aligning technology and policy for start-ups, fintech and GST. CA Rahul Channa also addressed the gathering on GST reforms for inclusive growth and their importance for MSMEs and start-ups.
Online technical sessions further brought researchers and participants together to discuss GST compliance, automation, fintech, MSME competitiveness, digital transformation and global best practices.
The two-day conclave concluded with a vote of thanks and felicitation ceremony, with organisers emphasising the need for closer collaboration between academia, government and industry to support India’s MSMEs and start-ups in the digital economy.